The Masque of the Invader
by Maniacal Dragon
Summary: A Phantom of the OperaInvader Zim crossover fic. A few random children are drafted into the drama club... and one Invader finds a role that fits his ideal of power quite nicely. Chapter 11 up!
1. Deadly Allure

Author's Note: I've been wanting to write a Phantom of the Opera/Invader Zim crossover for a while... o.o Ever since AF and I (huge 'phans', yes we are) came up with the idea in Oregon Trek of DOOM to have the cast put on the play at Fort Laramie, I've totally fallen in love with POTO/IZ crossovers... provided they place Zim in the role of Erik. The similarities between those two characters are just... too there. I hadn't yet written a fic dedicated exclusively to POTO/IZ, and now I am seeing a few fics of that particular crossover around on FFN. This makes me very happy. ^.^ And I wanted to write one as well... so here it is! Much thanks to Tif (CrimsonObsession) for the original inspiration, the idea of having the play performed in Zim's skool. Also, Invader Zim and all related characters belong to Jhonen Vasquez, and Phantom of the Opera belongs to Gaston Leroux, Andrew Lloyd Webber, etc...

--

It was another glorious, glorious day for doom. Or, it would've been, had Zim not been trapped in this filthy, disgusting classroom where Ms. Bitters droned on about what was normally his favorite subject. A gloved hand tapped a pencil impatiently on the desk, glaring up at the clock. Being forced to run with the human adherance to time was irritating. Even more irritating that a mighty Invader like himself had to sit in this stagnating pool of human filth for seven hours of his day. There was so much he could be _doing_ indeed, even now random ideas and schemes were playing through his mind, chasing each other back and forth only to be pushed out by new ones. Ideas, these were his forte, it was the application of them that always seemed to go so inexplicably wrong. 

And that, children, was when the social revolution began to degenerate all of society's free time into a rut of wasteful Ms. Bitters' scratchy voise grated against Zim's mind, and his antennae attempted to twitch under the stifling cover of his wig. He gazed up at the clock. Almost time almost there 

The bell rang. It was a release; Zim's muscles involuntarily relaxed as he began to slip into the mind-state of one about to go home and possibly get something _done_. He had no all-encompassing plans for today, but, his AMAZING mind was sure to come up with something if not, there was always the checklist of standard procedure to-- 

And tomorrow, I will be randomly selecting members of this class to participate in the drama club. Ms. Bitters continued her droning as the students filed out of the classroom. Zim slid from behind his desk with a sigh. A drama club? What was _that?_ Some hideously _huuuuuman _pastime no doubt. Just what he did NOT need to occupy his valuable time!! There was no drama club that could possibly contain anything of interest to an Irken Invader, that was for certain. 

No, Dib. That irritating doomish drone was still there in the background. You may _not_ borrow a hall pass. 

Even if it were for the sake of saving all mankind?? 

Mankind is already doomed. Save your energy for contemplating the doomed existence you have to live as a part of it. 

Zim gritted his teeth. Pathetic human, always trying to get in his way if only that disgusting Dib would stay out of his way, things would be so much more pleasant. 

Hey, Zim! 

So much for a quiet afternoon. Zim, resolved to ignore the obnoxious human, strode out of the classroom and down the hall. He heard footsteps behind him, and, angry for some reason, broke into a run, fleeing out the skool doors and down the sidewalk. Why couldn't that miserable earth monkey leave him alone? Alls he was doing was prolonging the pain; Zim's conquest of this dirtball was assured 

Dib watched as the alien fled down the sidewalk. I'll get you, Zim he muttered. Even _without_ a hall pass. An amber-eyed glare was directed briefly back at the skool building before Dib headed off down the sidewalk towards his own house. 

--

The next day was marked by a decided difference in Zim's demeanor, Dib noticed as he stepped into the classroom. Up late last night working on another of his evil plots, no doubt Dib glanced over the class as a dozen pairs of eyes turned to fix on him; the remaining pairs just didn't care enough. Zim looked haggard, the contact lenses he wore starting to fade pink around the edges. Deep circles sallowed Zim's face under the eyes, and his wig was slightly askew. Nevertheless, the alien managed a hefty glare at his nemesis.

Late AGAIN, Dib? Ms. Bitters snarled, leaning over her desk.

Sorry Ms. Bitters, Dib said emphatically. I wanted to make sure of what the cafeteria ladies are putting in the lunches.

Crisco and apple seeds, Ms. Bitters snapped. Sit down.

Squinting an eye at Zim, who returned it with a less heartfelt glare, Dib went obediently to his seat. He leaned back in his chair, gazing upwards at the desolate, flat-tiled ceiling. Rows and rows of tiles straight lines so constricting like rulers or runway lights or guitar frets or—

Thump. Dib sat up straight and looked over at Zim, whose head had fallen onto his desk, arms limp on either side.

As I was saying yesterday, Ms. Bitters droned scratchily, glaring at the downed alien, The drama club is short a few members, so I will be selecting _volunteers_ from this class to assist.

Dib raised a hand and waved it.

Yes, Dib? Ms. Bitters said, an unmistakeable hiss to her voice.

Isn't the drama club just a group of goth and hippie wannabes with a box full of broken props? Dib asked.

Ms. Bitters growled. Unfortunately, some of them are on the skool board.

Oh _man_ Dib grimaced, and hunkered down in his seat, hoping he wouldn't be the one the teacher selected for drama club duty. As it was, the entire class was now staring up at Ms. Bitters, eyes glazed and staring, waiting the tension in the room grew, tickled the hairs at the back of Dib's neck; all of it focused on Ms. Bitters' gnarled finger that cast around the room like the limb of a shaky string puppet.

_Not me_ Dib chanted to himself. _Not me not me not me_—

Ms. Bitters snapped, and Dib groaned, opening his eyes miserably to see the crooked finger pointing directly at him. You're going. And you, Melvin. Smeedge. Penny. And Ms. Bitters paused, that finger again hovering doomishly over the class. It came to rest pointed straight at the limp alien sprawled across his desk. ZIM, who couldn't possibly be more of a doomed failure.

Zim lifted his head groggily, stared at Ms. Bitters, then let it drop again onto the desk with a thump. Dib found himself eyeing the alien; in this weakened state, it might not be too hard to subdue him Dib had given _up_ on the hall pass idea, for now at least, but he had more cards than that up his sleeve.

--

He shouldn't've come to skool today. He had better things to do much more AMAZING and fruitful things to do. The contacts he wore stung his eyes, and his vision was tending to blur every time he tried to focus on something. Blast these filthy stink-beasts and their stagnating buildings of pathetic concrete where they gathered like maggots on a corpse for no reason other than their parents _put_ them there.

But Zim had done some investigating' last night, and had begun to throw into effect a new plan, one that perfectly utilized this drama club. Unfortunately, it had taken _all_ of last night, leaving no time for him to sleep before skool unfortunately made its headway. Curse it at least, he was in the club _now_. His computer had called a drama club a group of humans involved in a dramatic production'. Obviously they did something important here on Earth. And so Zim had determined, after much GIR-assisted research on the psychology of dramatism in humans, that he must produce drama. He wasn't sure how this was done but he was sure he'd find out. Tomorrow. After he got some sleep.

--

As it turned out, the drama club was meeting right after skool. Dib, anxious to get home and go back to work on his HydroTazer 6000, was not very happy about this his only consolation was that Zim, too, was trapped in this madness, and so couldn't be up to anything _weird_ or _evil_ or mind-controlling while Dib was detained. That didn't make it good, but it made it better. As it was, they walked on opposite sides of the hall, Melvin, Penny and Smeedge between them, and kept a wary eye on every movement the other made.

The drama club was supposed to meet in the auditorium. Incidentally, the auditorium was the same as the cafeteria, the gym, and the skool board meeting room. Although it _did_ have a stage, over which the curtains remained closed during the other uses of the room. Stepping into the darkened room, the five paused, listening to the last sounds of children screaming for joy and jumping out of windows as if they were faraway echoes, fading farther and farther away until all hope of going with them had disappeared.

The curtains moved. Voices whispered on the other side, and then a pale hand pushed the curtain aside and peered out at them.

You're late. The girl was an eighth grader in the skool, dressed in black clothes and safety pins, and always seemed to have dark, heavy makeup on. Dib found himself less and less eager to go over there, and Zim seemed to share his conviction, as both held their ground. Melvin, Penny, and Smeedge obediently crossed the room and climbed past the girl onto the stage.

Zim fixed another glare on Dib, as if this were his fault, and lifting his head up, he marched towards the stage. Dib sighed harshly and followed him. The eighth grader disappeared back into the depths of the stage.

--

What do you _mean_ we're picking roles out of a hat? Dib whined. Aren't we going to try out? Aren't most of us going to be doing backstage work anyway?

Zim snapped. ZIM will have the greatest dramatic role imaginable! And you will all BOW before my amazingness at being dramatic!

Well, you've convinced _me_, the eighth grader, whose name was June, said as she rolled her eyes, shoving the hat full of paper slips underneath Zim's nose or lack of such. It was something odd about this kid with a skin condition', but oddity was appreciated in her crowd. She tried to imagine how the boisterous green child would look in black leather and buckles. She scrutinized while he ruffled through the paper slips, casting suspicious glances at Dib all the while. Not good, she finally decided.

Zim finally selected a scrap of paper and pulled it out, raising it triumphantly in the air. I laugh at you, DIB-MONKEY!! For ZIM has the best part!! He cackled.

You don't even know what it is, Dib snapped. Zim glared at him, then grandly unfolded the slip of paper and looked down at it.

Backstage light duty, he said, looking down at the paper. What?? No mysterious and AMAZING character for ZIIIIM!?

It's what you drew, June said with a sigh. Lighting is very important, anyway we're doing _Phantom of the Opera_, remember?

Zim glowered darkly. I knew that.

Silently, June passed the hat around to the rest of the kids. If only they hadn't had to draft a bunch of fourth and fifth graders she felt that this production was destined to be a flop, but drama was her life, as it was Alma's, and Miri's. Although Alma wasn't here today she was almost _never_ here.

--

Dib said, staring down at his slip of paper.

Zim crowed. The foolish DIB thinks he has a chance at besting ZIM's role! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Honestly, can't you be quiet? the sixth grade member of the drama group, Miri, a girl dressed exactly like June, asked.

I'm practicing my dramatic role! Zim huffed, with another glare at Dib.

You don't have a dramatic role, June said absently, and got out a pen. Now, everyone tell me what it says on your slip of paper.

What about you? Dib demanded. You didn't pick one.

I'm working backstage, she said. Honestly, how would I fit in on stage with a bunch of little kids?

Zim said, straightening up and glaring at her. ZIM is no _kid_!

Dib held his breath for a moment, then spoke up. He's not! He's an alien!

June and Miri stared at Dib for a long moment, looked at each other, then burst into snickers. Zim, who had been standing rigidly with wide eyes, turned to sneer at Dib. Oh well Dib thought. It was worth a shot. He returned Zim's sneer with a glare of his own.

Now then June said, recovering. Tell me your roles.

--

How unquestionably, despicably, FILTHY! Not only was the mighty ZIM forced into this hideous predicament, he was too worn out to do more than direct hateful feelings towards his nemesis. He did not even have a dramatic role!! And it was insufferably hard to be constantly surrounded by the sheer obnoxiousness and _noise_ and worse, the _smell_ of these filthy pig monkies surrounding him on all sides. The dust that coated the backstage area was not helping, either. It aggravated his contact lenses and made his antennae squirm madly under the wig. He wanted to go home, cast off this hideously uncomfortable disguise, and relax for a while. Maybe turn some new ideas over for eliminating Dib.

Now, the script June was saying. I'm giving each of you a copy to read when you get home tonight. Drama club will meet after skool tomorrow, right here. Everyone be there understand? Heads nodded obediently in the unlit backstage as June and Miri passed around the scripts. Zim snatched his from the hand of one of them and stalked off the stage with the exiting crowd of kids. He tried to read it, but the words kept blurring on the paper.

Cursed human script, he grumbled, as he tried to focus. No good he couldn't read it now. He needed rest. Zim picked up his pace, eyes half-closed, and headed out of the skool and towards home.

--

Dib called, leaping up and down to get a view over the crowd of his sister. I didn't know _you_ got pulled into the drama club too!

Don't whine about it, she snapped, tapping voraciously away at the buttons of her Gameslave. Dib weasled his way through the small crowd to stand next to her, and started scrutinizing his script. They had all the roles in the same hat he mused. Raoul's a _guy_ isn't he? he started flipping through the script, scanning for where his character's name came in.

Gaz said. Tap tap, click, beep.

Hey, this role doesn't look so bad! Dib said, flipping pages of the photocopied script. I'll have to read this over tonight what part did you get, Gaz?

Madame Giry, she said. Now leave me alone, Dib, I've got six more levels to beat. She slowed her pace, letting her brother pull ahead of her.

sure.. Dib said absently, and continued on towards home, thumbing through the script.

--

Later that night, as a small silvery robot with glowing blue optics sat tossing a pink rubber piggy up into the air, it noticed a sort of deranged cackling coming from the other end of the room. It was so interesting down in the base here, full of buttons and cables and glowing lights. GIR knew better than to touch anything, but sometimes that remembrance escaped its frayed circuits. The robot looked up from its pig, staring over at the small Irken which sat hunched over a counter, cradling a stack of paper between his claws.

sniggered Zim, as he flipped another page of the script. WAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!! You dare trifle with the PHANTOM, Raoul-stink!? Another bout of maniacal laughter echoed throughout the room.

The robot gazed for a moment, then got to its feet and skipped happily over towards its master. What iiis iiit? it cooed, peering curiously over its master's shoulder.

Zim lifted his head and regarded the robot for a moment. This, GIR! This is the key! I shall HAUNT AN OPERA HOUSE!!! These foolish pig-monkies are so gullible to such things! With this amazing plaaan I shall become LORD OF HUMAAANS!!

The robot's eyes widened. You're in a plaaaaay!! it giggled, sticking its pink tongue out. GIR held its piggy out to Zim, squeeking it madly. Piggy can help you practice your liiiiiines!!

Geh.. stop at once, GIR! Zim grumbled, pushing the rubber pig aside. No, this is BIGGER than a mere _play_. I thought to bend the humans to my will through my AMAZING production of drama, but THIS is even BETTER!

But I thought you were doin' LIGHTS! squeeked GIR, holding the piggy up again.

Zim narrowed his eyes. Curse that HAT curse that DOOMISH HAT!!!! CUUUUUURSE IIIIT!! GIR, this will be remedied the role of PHANTOM belongs to none other than the amazing ZIM..

GIR gazed up at its master, blue optics shimmering. I seeeee what you meeeeaan 

--

Timmy. His name was _Timmy_. Zim scowled darkly, looking at the large-eyed seventh grader with tousled brown hair. Why did this.. filthy WORM get the role of the amazing PHANTOM!? It was not right. That role belonged to Zim and Zim would have it. The Irken narrowed his eyes dangerously. Any that stood in the way of ZI—confound these LENSES!! Zim growled and rubbed his eyes. He heard Dib snickering at him, but he ignored it.

Now all of you who are in a dramatic role need to be practicing your lines at home. Every night, June was saying. That way, when we do rehearshals here, you'll be able to pay more attention to how you're interacting with the other actors. You also have to sing Dib, can you sing? Timmy? Jessie? You three have the most important roles.

I can sing, Dib said, with a smug glare at Zim. Zim stood there, fuming. An INVADER could sing better than ANY of these filthy human worms! How was it that the mighty Phantom disposed of his victims? Zim absently tugged a cord from the abandoned props box, grimacing at the dust that accompanied its exit. Cackling madly to himself, he started twisting it into a noose 

June repeated. Can you sing?

mumbled the downcast boy. He was quiet and a bit odd, not the _best_ choice for the Phantom, perhaps, but he would do. He always seemed so well.. depressed. He'd make a great addition to the goth crowd one of these days. Maybe he was a poet.

she said encouragingly. Timmy shuffled his feet. Dib sighed in the background. Can I sing, June? he asked, with a glance at the green kid who was messing with something over near the props box.

Go ahead, June replied.

--

Curse this.. this human WIRE! Inferior human tools and objects and equipment they blunted Zim's AMAZING skill terribly. He struggled with the knot, trying to figure out how to get it to lynch when it was pulled on. The sound of singing made his antennae twitch underneath the wig, and he grumbled. That disgusting huge-headed monkey was showing off his horrid excuse for _talent_ was he? Zim would show him. He would show them all that he was meant for the role of PHANTOM.

Zim's claws finally slid the knot together, and he tested it briefly, then grinned maliciously, looking back over at the group.

--

I didn't like that expression on Zim's face today, Gaz Dib said thoughtfully as he walked home after the drama club with his sister. I _know_ he's up to something. Did you see what he was messing with back in the props box?? Probably some hideous alien mind-controlling device!

So what? Gaz said, and neglected to say any more, as they reached their house and she stepped in through the door. Dib sighed.

don't you have to practice your lines?? he asked, tagging along after her. I can help you! I can't wait to face Zim down for this one he didn't even _get_ a dramatic role!

Be quiet, Gaz snapped, settling down on the couch and turning on the TV.

Gaz, really! There's something wrong about all this! What he's doing! I need to keep an _eye_ on him

Then _go_! she growled. But Dib was already out the door.

--

The next day at skool crawled slowly. Zim was on a bathroom break' again, and every minute that ticked past on the clock made Dib's pencil tap more neurotically against the desk. What was that evil alien _up_ to? Zim had been missing since lunchtime, and although Dib had noticed that he hadn't returned to the room, there was nothing he could do about it not the way Ms. Bitters kept glaring at him. Dib would swear she hated him more than anyone else in the class.

His eyes still on the clock, Dib tapped the pencil faster. What was Zim _doing_? 

-- 

And so you know that old saying, June told the wide-eyed group of kids. She trailed off at their blank stares in the musty darkness, and swallowed hard. The show must go on. This is.. a setback—

I KNEW you were up to something evil, Zim!! That's it! This is the end of it! You can't DO things like this!!! Dib's shout rang through the auditorium, filtering into the darkness of the stage.

Silence, pathetic WORM-MONKEY!! Zim hissed back. I have no idea what you're talking about!

Oh, you can lie all you want, ZIM! But I know! I'll always know! Don't think you can get away with this!

Miri sighed, got up, and went over to push the curtain side. she yelled. ZIM! Quit blaming each other and get back over here! We still need to pick someone for the new role!

June watched her colleague, wondering. Even if it was just a _suicide_ albeit in very Phantom style with a tightly knotted steel noose was it still a good idea to forget about it so soon? She hadn't known Timmy, no one had but still, it was a regret. This show _could_ be great.

Zim was yelling. I will be the PHANTOM!! Give the role to ZIM!!

NO! We're going to choose this _careful_—

I AM THE PHANTOM!!! DO NOT QUESTION ME!!! YOU WILL SEE HOW MY DRAMATIC EXECUTION WILL AMAAAZE YOOOOUUU!!!

Miri gave June an agonized glance, and the older girl shook her head. Just give it to him.. it'll shut him up.

Miri turned back to Zim. You can HAVE the role! Okay?? Now both of you get up here! A moment later, a haughty Zim marched back onto the stage, followed by a furious and barely-controlled Dib.

How can you give him that role!? Dib said desperately to June. Can't you see he was the one who noosed Timmy!?

Dib, don't make accusations like that. Why would he noose Timmy? Miri said irritably.

Because he wants to be the Phantom!!! Why else!?

I really don't think he'd do it just for _that_, June said, pointing her pen sharply at Dib. He just wanted the role and got a lucky break we _did_ pull names out of a hat, after all.

How am I the only one to see it!? Dib wailed. Why can't you see what he IS!?

He's a maladjusted fifth grader, June said.

Like you, added Miri.

Dib stared at them for a moment, met only by their unforgiving, nonunderstanding gazes, then sank down against the wall. No one gets it, he muttered to himself miserably. Shut up, Zim.

The cackling continued Zim, standing with a plastic mask grabbed from the props box, was holding it over his face as the eerie laughter continued, growing more and more maniacal.

Alright, Zim— June said. There's more to it than _that_. You need to practice the lines, sing

The laughing continued, and Zim lifted both hands into the air. ZIM DOES NOT NEED TO PRACTICE!! he howled with glee, a grin spread widely across his face and a malicious glint in his eyes. June had to admit that his demeanor was exceedingly creepy maybe he _would_ make a passable Phantom. If he practiced his lines.

Club dismissed, she said, standing up. Tomorrow's Saturday everyone be here at 2 in the afternoon for our first rehearsal. Don't be late. And I'm going to get Alma to come this time, too June thought as she headed out of the auditorium through the group of younger kids. Fitting that a hideously ugly green kid with no nose and a skin condition was going to play the Phantom after all, that was why the character wore a mask. She smiled to herself. This might work better than anticipated. 

-- 

Rehearsal taking up a good three or four hours of his Saturday when he _could_ be working to stop Zim. Dib was seriously worried about what Zim was planning with this entire play he threw himself into the role, that was true, his execution of the lines and the songs was nearly perfect and improving. He'd gained the admiration and respect of the three original members of the drama club—one of them an eighth grader in jeans, clogs, and tye-dye who he'd never seen before and didn't seem to be doing much besides act spaced out. June was the real organizer and director Miri had gotten a dramatic role. She was Carlotta, the prima donna.

It wasn't that Dib minded his role. He was Raoul, the young aristocrat who was attempting to save the singer, Christine, from the evil wiles of the Phantom. No, it wasn't _that_ Dib minded it was the seriousness with which Zim was taking this play. There was something dark and sinister about Zim recently that Dib couldn't quite place, a kind of evil purpose waiting to be fulfilled. The alien _could_ sing, and June was absolutely delighted with how well he fit the role. The arrogance of his demands to Christine and the Opera House, the very convincing execution of hypnotism oh, Zim was _good_ at hypnotism. It had become his forte, Dib thought bitterly. There was no way he would let himself fall prey to it again, never in a million years. He was honestly worried though, about the girl playing Christine her name was Jessie, and although friendly enough to everyone, she seemed to Dib to be a little _too_ affected by Zim's singing and performance. Maybe she's just a good actor, Dib nervously tried to convince himself. But he couldn't help feeling that it went past that.

June's voice broke through his musings. You're on now. With a sigh, Dib stepped across the ropes littering the stage to where Christine' was waiting in her dressing room. But he kept an eye on Zim, who was lurking near the curtain in the shadows. The alien was glaring at him, and Dib could almost see, if he looked hard enough, the burning crimson orbs through the contact lenses. 

-- 

Zim could not withhold his sense of triumph as opening night approached. He was, at the moment, holed up in his lab, dually reading with intense earnesty two books. _The Phantom of the Opera_ by Gaston Leroux, and _Phantom_ by Susan Kay. They presented different pictures, it was true, but they were informative. The sheer _power_ behind this character seriously appealed to Zim too bad it was only fiction for the filthy humans to entertain themselves with. Well not for long. Zim cackled under his breath. There were certain _weaknesses_ that afflicted Erik, the Phantom, that Zim knew would never afflict HIM. He was an _Invader_ after all. These ridiculous emotions' were not for Soldiers. Zim was, then, better than the Phantom he would not be stricken with that particular plague. His reign would be ultimate Zim grinned to himself again as he turned a page.


	2. Unmasqued

Dib uncomfortably adjusted the bowtie on his costume and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. The murmured sounds and presence of a filled auditorium—okay, filled gym/cafeteria/board meeting room with a stage—were making him apprehensive. It was part of the script for Christine to unmask the Phantom. Dib was going to make sure Zim was _really_ unmasked. Maybe they'd take it as special effects but maybe, just maybe, they would see that it was real.

Dib pushed the curtain aside to peek out over the chairs that filled the room. No sign of his dad but that was hardly a big surprise. He dropped the curtain with a sigh.

Dib jumped, and looked up quickly at June as she approached him. Come backstage you're on in a couple minutes. She headed back through the wings, and Dib tagged along after her, listening with half his attention to Carlotta' singing Think of Me. He thought he could hear Zim cackling somewhere backstage that alien was up to no good. No good at all.

--

Things have changed, Raoul murmured Jessie as she picked up a hand mirror. Dib's footsteps echoed as he ran offstage, and Jessie stood still, frozen by the watchful eyes of the audience. It frightened her to be up here, but that was nothing compared to the nervousness she felt about facing the Phantom. Even in rehearsals there had been something diabolical, something intense, to the ugly green kid that went beyond acting. But his _voice_ it attracted her, lulled her into a weird state where she didn't feel like she even knew what was going on. She dreaded this next scene but she forced her eyes to the large mirror, draped along either side with black cloth.

Insolent _boy_! Zim's voice rang across the stage, seeming to come from everywhere to Jessie, and not just from behind the mirror, where she knew he was standing. This slaaave of fashion! Basking in _your_, glory! Ignorant _fool_ this brave young suitor; sharing in MYYYY triumph!!

Jessie's eyes fixed on the surface of the mirror. She saw only her own reflection but behind it, she thought she could see maybe she was imagining it but she thought she could see his eyes, burning through the glass and into her mind. Only they weren't _his_ eyes, they couldn't be they were glowing, and burning a deep, bloody crimson. For some reason terrified, Christine' rose her voice to her part of the duet.

--

Come to me, straaange angeeel! Jessie's voice was tremulous, afraid almost, and Dib paced in the wings, agitated.

He's planning something evil! he said desperately to June, who was working on something at the stage manager's desk. I know he is! Something beyond this whole performance! He's not just acting out there! He's an _alien_ and he's _evil_!!!

June sighed and let her pen fall from her hand. Dib. We've been through this he's not an alien, he just has a _skin_ _condition_. That's _really_ no reason to pick on someone.

It's not a skin condition!! Dib said, his voice rising in his frustration, and he clenched his fists angrily as he paced.

You're on, was June's only response, and she picked up her pen again.

Dib's frustration lent itself beautifully to his next, albeit small, part. Stalking towards the curtains, he shouted with all his might. CHRISTINE!! ANGEL!!! The music from the CD player rose up past his voice, accompanied by a delighted cackle from Zim. Dib resumed pacing backstage.

--

DO NOT PANIC! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! the kid's voice—Dib didn't remember his name—screamed out over the audience as the dramatic music thundered from the CD player. Be extra loud, June had told them. There were vocals on the CD Dib kicked at the curtain angrily. This production was a bit idiotic in his mind, but it concealed a danger far more real. He paused in the wings, turning his head sharply at a flurry of movement offstage.

It was Zim and Jessie, but something wasn't right. Of course, nothing was _right_ around Zim, nothing was assumed. That's why Dib had to keep such a close eye on him. Zim had a wicked grin across his face, and his gloved hand was locked in a death-grip around Jessie's arm. She looked faint, but worst of all, she had that _look_ in her eyes that Dib remembered from Zim's Pustulio' escapade. Shaking his head angrily at the memory, he ran quickly after his nemesis.

--

Everything was going according to plan. These humans wanted a dramatic production? ZIM would give it to them. He paused in the wings, gazed up towards the ceiling, and slid the mech-legs out of his backpod. The human child with him did not react at all, but that was how he had planned it. Quickly locking an arm around her waist, Zim leapt upwards, bracing off of the wall and clinging to the ceiling above the stage. It was a high ceiling, with a few of those human theater lights attached, and the heavy metal bars holding up the curtains didn't hinder his progress any. Scrambling across them towards the front of the stage, Zim swung down just at the edge of the wings, catching his mechs in the fabric of the curtain and hanging there dead still. The child was still limp, but she made a small soft sound, primarily some weak, disgusting expression of her _huuuuu_man fear.

the shout rang from below him. Zim cursed under his breath. That disgusting Dib always interfering with his plans!!

came a much more whispered, but still urgent voice. It was that drama production director' that Zim didn't feel the inclination to recall the name of. At least she was silencing the Dib. The Irken began to make his way across the curtain towards the front of the stage, swinging around until he'd be in view of the audience. What scene was it? He gazed downwards, recognized the flurry and panic of the scene where the mob was chasing the Phantom through the labyrinth', a spray-painted network of cardboard. In another part of it, the DIB was being dragged by his disturbing sister. He was supposed to be silent and follow her, but he was _not_. He was looking upwards, searching the lights and the curtains, a determined expression on his face.

Zim cackled. It was all to no avail. However, he was now, as they put it, _on_. Flipping downwards, Zim landed in the front of the stage, his mechs clicking against the hardwood floor of the stage. He remained elevated on them; humans were stupid, and employed things like this _anyway_ to hold their water-heavy, stinky selves above stage.

Dib shouted, running on stage as Zim dropped the child in his arms in a careless heap at his feet. YOU MONSTER!! YOU'VE— Gaz elbowed Dib hard in the stomach, doubling him over. Zim howled with laughter at Dib's discomfort, even as the huge-head human boy gasped for breath. You are too late, DI—RAOUL!! he snarled. The earth-stink child belongs to the PHAAAAAANTOOOOM!!!!

You'll never get away with this!! Dib finally managed to gasp out, struggling upwards to a standing position again.

Oh, won't I, _filth_-stink!? Zim snickered. He let the human child fall to the stage in a limp heap, a wicked grin spreading across his face. Disgusting little liquid beadlets were covering the Dib-monster's face, as the human's fists clenched and his eyes narrowed. Suddenly, Dib leapt forward, grabbing at the Irken's face, fumbling as he tore away the mask, the wig a contact lense was pulled loose, and it hit the stage quickly followed by its partner.

--

Now they had to see. Now they would see that he'd been telling the truth all along. Zim stood poised on his mech-legs, hovering maybe 3 inches off of the floor, draped in a black cape and perfectly filling the definition of and his disguise was gone. The mask was still clutched in Dib's hands, and he stared at the long, slender black antennae, the glowing crimson eyes, and the vengeful snarl. Or was that a _smile_? Had Zim finally _lost_ it?

The alien swept around to face the audience, gaining more than a few gasps and screams. The vindicative grin spread, and a delighted cackle rose up from Zim's throat. GAAAAZE, filthy Dib-worm, he growled as he looked back at Dib. GAZE UPON THE MIGHT AND HORROR THAT IS THE PHAAAANTOOOOM!!!!

Smelling salts? Dib heard Alma's voice backstage. Do we _have_ them?

Well we _need_ them! June replied. Get out there! Clogs thudding, the eight-grade hippy girl ran off the stage and out into the audience. Dib didn't waste time watching her, focusing his gaze intently up on the alien. Zim's mech-legs flexed, lifting him up still higher, curling his small form aggressively over Dib's head.

Why didn't the audience _notice_? Why didn't they _do_ something?? This was an _alien_, right in FRONT of them!!

Come closer, _Raoul_, Zim sniggered. Come closer He backed up a pace on the mechs, hovering over the still form of Jessie. Dib shot the girl an agonized glance he felt bad for her, having to be subjected to the Irken's _evil_ like this. Angrily, he strode forward, defiantly meeting the alien's burning red gaze.

--

Yeah, yeah, it's not that bad, come on, out of it Alma murmured, propping an old lady up in her chair as she glanced around at the audience. They were all fixated on the stage, the man behind the old lady craning to see around Alma. The girl sighed, fished around in her pockets but she didn't find anything useful. She tapped her hands gently against the old lady's cheeks. Why did they have to pass out? It wasn't like anything _scary_ was going on Alma hazarded a glance at the stage. The glance quickly turned into a stare.

_How_ did that green kid move so fast? And on those those stilts? They didn't even _have_ stilts! Especially not ones that moved independently like working _limbs_! And that other kid, the one playing Raoul was he yeah, even from this distance you could see flecks of foam at his mouth, his eyes bulging out what, had he _actually _been strung up? The green kid, the Phantom, darting to one side of him, twisted and leapt on the mechs, grinning maniacally, and scooped up the girl playing Christine, who hadn't moved even to sing her lines. _That_ wasn't right Alma shook the slightly stirring old lady.

The green kid looked up then, the long black things on his head lifting up and pointing towards the audience somewhat. His blood-red gaze stabbed out at the audience, and he lifted up on those jointed stilts again. The old lady next to Alma fainted dead away again, and the girl sighed. When she looked up again, the Phantom was gone.

--

Lights sparked and flashed painfully in his eyes, and Dib tried to twist away from them, close his eyes, but they were still there, accompanied by sharp bursts of pain lancing through his throat and lungs. He couldn't _breathe_. His hands grappled numbly at the steel cord tightening around his throat, and he tried to scream, entreat June for help, get _someone_ over here but he couldn't get any other sound out than a choked gargle. He heard, distantly, the sounds of feet pounding on the stage, voices shouting. He thought he felt hands on his neck, ripping at the cord, but as his vision narrowed and started to blacken, he was sure this was the end of it.

Suddenly, it was loose, torn violently from his neck, and he was let drop carelessly to the stage floor. Great job keeping your _hand_ at the level of your _eyes_, DIB, a familiar condescending voice snapped, and Dib looked up blearily, saw a flash of a long black dress and purple hair, but most noticeably, he saw a black cane hit the stage with a deafeningly _crack_ right next to his head. He shrank away and shut his eyes, rubbing his aching throat. More footsteps, and hands propped him up, felt his neck, held his head up. He grimaced, opening one eye. June was kneeling next to him, peering at him.

she said. What the hell _happened_? And _where_ did Zim go??

he gasped weakly, struggling to get to his feet without luck. He's gone!? You have to— Dib wheezed, coughed, trying to get his breath back. You have to _find_ him!!

Of course we have to find him! The play's not over _yet_. We called an immediate intermission. June stood up and hauled Dib to his feet, and he groaned, reaching his hands up to rub his temples against the sudden motion.

He would've— Dib wheezed. If he left he'd go back to his base! I _told_ you he was up to now good! He's probably implementing some horrible plan right now!!

June stared at him. Dib, if he went home do you know where he lives?

Of _course_ I know where he lives!! Dib said, straightening up. He felt his strength returning with the flow of adrenaline in his bloodstream. Come with me!! We have to STOP HIM!!

_Dib_, I can't leave, we have a lot to get together here—

Angrily, Dib grabbed the older student by the arm, hauled her off stage, and split for the doors. June sighed in exasperation, but followed him. she called back towards the stage. I have to get the star! Take care of things while I'm not here!! Alma's reply, if there was one, was cut off as Dib raced through the doors of the skool, dragging June with him.

-----------------

-----------------

Sorry I have been so long in getting this story continued... however, I am currently torn between two paths I want to take with this fic and I have no idea which I would rather do. Heck maybe I'll end up doing both... o.o Anyway, the two ideas I have are, loosely...  
  
1) Where 'Phantom' remains entirely a fantasy and goal of Zim's and a driving force behind new eccentricities. I don't know what else would happen except perhaps for some involvement with emotions (affecting Zim's 'Soldier' demeanor much as it happened to Erik).  
  
2) Where Zim manages somehow to travel to an alternate reality (by building a machine or something) and actually goes to Paris, meets the characters from Phantom, and tries to infiltrate Erik's lair, etc... I have a couple ideas for what might happen here.  
  
6.6;; I would love input on which of these two paths any of you would like to see this fic take. Because I really can not decide... if you have an opinion, please review and let me know ^.^;


	3. Kidnapping and Pursuit

A/N: I changed Jessie's name to Jessica since she's becoming a more important character 9.9; And nothing interesting can happen to somebody named Jessie. u.u;; .... Don't ask me why. o.o It just wouldn't've worked... anyway, here is the next chapter (I think I am going to be going with the first plotline.. though I might write something with the second cuz it's cool, and all that). Enjoy! :D

------

Jessica's eyes fluttered open, and she tried to reach a hand up to massage the bleariness from them. A moment later, she froze. It was dark. Way too dark. Soft sounds thrummed around her, processing noises, barely audible beeps, clicks, rushing sounds all of it a lot quieter than it _should _have been if she'd somehow gotten locked in a boiler room or something. She sat up quickly, looking around.

She could see the faint glow of indicator lights, screens, in a faint purplish iridescence, covering the walls. Cables crisscrossed the extremely high ceiling, and walls, ran under the counters and benches like huge pythons. Jessica shivered, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them tightly. She was still dressed in her rather flimsy Christine costume and it was _not_ warm.

she ventured weakly. A shadow darted across the light from some of the screens, and she stifled a scream. Dib? Melvin? Gaz..? Z-zim?

giggled a high-pitched voice at her side. Jessica _did_ scream, then, cringing away from the voice as she turned wildly to look at it. She squinted in the darkness, only able to make out a vaguely dog-like shape with large bright eyes that gazed up at her.

Di-did you just talk? Jessica said weakly.

I speak like the Bard! the little dog crowed loudly, waving its small black arms. And wherefore, sweet Christine, dost thou turn from yon beauteous affection!!

Jessica stared at the dog, unable, somehow, to find any fear in her of it. This place she was in, on the other hand Where am I? she managed to squeak out.

The little dog opened its mouth to speak, but a dark shadow fell across it, and it looked up in surprise, ears perking.

You are in the AMAZING base of ZIM, of course, a haughty voice crooned above them. Jessica quilled the sudden jolt of fear that lanced through her.

Jessica ventured, her voice quaking. what are you doing? What are you talking about? Why am I here? This is just a _play_! Tears threatened in her throat as she gazed up desperately at the green kid. He's still wearing his deformity' makeup she thought. It's really creepy looking. She shuddered in horror and revulsion as the two thin appendages on his bald head twitched. And those _eyes_ they _glowed_ and they _burned_ with a hideous red light. She wondered just how he'd managed to get himself to look like that.

I helped him practice his liiiines, the little dog whispered to Jessica, leaning closer to her. Still staring up at Zim in terror, the girl wrapped her arms around the animal, hugging it tightly. It provided some small measure of comfort, especially when it giggled and returned the hug.

Zim snapped, turning that terrifying gaze towards the dog. Release the filthy stink-child at ONCE!! I do not wish to have to _sterilize_ you again!!

the little dog said regretfully, but it squirmed out of Jessica's grip and trotted across the room to pick up a rubber piggy and stuff it in its mouth.

Jessica fought back a sob. she said desperately. _Why_ am I _here_?? Is this some some warped what are you _doing_? You're n-not the Phantom! You're just a kid l-like us!

he whirled on her, and Jessica shrank away from the burning red orbs that burned into hers. DO NOT QUESTION THE MIGHT OF THE PHANTOM!!! FOR I AM _ZIM!!!_ A grimace of disgust crossed his face, and he glanced upwards. he said imperiously. Restrain the human child. Pivoting on his heel, he stalked off back into the darkened shadows of the room. Jessica could do nothing but stare in terror as cables quickly bound her limbs and lashed her down tightly. He'd gone mad. Absolutely mad. Okay, he'd probably been mad before but not _this_ mad. Hot, panicked tears streaked their way down Jessica's face.

--

_Honestly_, Dib!! June said in exasperation. This is not worth chasing him down and rooting him out of where ever he's hiding—

Dib held up a hand quickly, straightening as he measured a practiced gaze on the alien's green-glowing house. He's here! I know it As he watched, another lawn gnome slowly surfaced through the grass, its blank eyes staring straight at Dib.

June stared, as well. she started.

I told you!! he cried. He's _not_ just a deformed kid! He's an _alien_!

--

Intruder alert, the computer droned, as several red lights flashed warningly. Zim's crimson eyes squinted into the relative darkness.

Illumination on the first two levels, the Invader muttered under his breath, gloved claws tapping impatiently against the console he sat before. Lights obediently flicked on somewhere far above, and monitors blinked on holding images of the perimeter, house level, and nearby area.

The DIB!! Zim snarled as one monitor focused on the image of his nemesis. He stood up quickly, slamming a fist onto the keyboard. How DARE that foolish, pathetic Dibbish.. Raoul-stink he means to turn the human authorities on me! The Irken whirled to face the girl bound on the other side of the room. Jessica stared back wide-eyed, in fear. Even in the theroes of his displeasure, her fear of him brought a smirk to his face. Being feared made him feel powerful. The Dib did not properly fear his might, and neither did the rest of the human race _yet_. They thought he was just a normal human like themselves. But when they knew the truth, they would fear Zim laughed coldly and strode towards one of the lifts in the room.

The big-headed human gots a FRIEND! GIR squealed, as it attempted to leap ahead of Zim towards the lift.

the Invader howled, as he stumbled over the anxious little robot, landing in a sprawled heap on the floor. The sound of his crashing reverberated through the room, and he felt a strong spike of annoyance with his robot slave. Twisting around, he made a grab for GIR, but the unit squirmed away and ran over to Jessica, who looked bewildered. Zim growled under his breath, got to his feet, and lifting his head in the air, continued his haughty march to the lift.

But she's wearin' black lipstick, GIR's voice wafted after Zim. It was speaking to the stinky human child, obviously, unless it was talking to itself again. I've got red!! But no black! Black is a perdy color huh!? Like a shiny marble!! I like marbles my master dun like them he tells me I can't leave em all over the floor so's they sparkle.

The only sound from the girl was a choked intake of breath.

--

Dib, _really_, June said, rolling her eyes. If he's home, I'm going to walk up and _ask_ for him.

Dib said desperately. He can't know we're here!! Can't you see this is a trap!? He grabbed ahold of her arm, gazing up at her with determination. You can't go up to that house!!

Why _not_? Come on, Dib! We _need_ our star, June said in exasperation, and pulled her arm out of his grip before striding up the walkway, past the gnomes. Dib stared, gripping the edge of the fence in one hand. The gnome's eyes were glowing. The lasers. Fighting down a spike of fear, Dib watched June's progress. The gnomes eyes' followed her, but she took no notice and rang the doorbell. A long moment of silence passed then the door was flung open by a very irate Invader. To Dib's shock, he wasn't wearing his disguise. The alien's burning red gaze locked onto Dib's own. He took no notice of June, who jumped noticeably at the sight.

Can't you see he's an alien!? Dib screamed desperately from the fence.

snarled Zim. He looked more haggard, and on the verge of insanity, than Dib last remembered. Your despicable presence will not be a bother to me much longer, filthy stinking _Raoul_, he hissed. The last word was spoken with a glance up at June.

The girl laughed nervously. Wow, you're really into your role, I guess, she said, her voice wavery. But we've got to get back to the skool and finish the play!

Zim said heatedly as June grabbed his arm. I have business to attend to HERE!! Uh MOM! DAD! Tell her I'm sick today!! June hauled him out to the sidewalk, as Zim craned his neck desperately to look back into the house. All that was apparent to Dib was a shower of sparks and a puff of smoke from either side of the room. At least the robot parents seemed to be malfunctioning.

Dib cried suddenly, as he found himself faced with a struggling alien, disguise-less, in plain view, and away from his base, out of the gnome perimeter. His chance for stopping the alien once and for all had dropped unexpectedly into his lap. Dib grinned evilly at his nemesis, who fixed him with a furious glare. Let's get him back to the skool, he said.

---

I dunno what's wrong with Maztuuuur, the little dog said, tipping its head to one side as it regarded the girl sitting across from it. Jessica sucked in her breath, struggling for a little more room against the restraining cables.

He keeps tryin to contact me, the dog giggled. Seyz some stuff about an odd-top-zee. He went with the kid with the big head and the lady with the black face paint! I want to go ORDER A PIZZA!!! It waved its arms excitedly. I'm not allowed to use the phone!! With this comment, its eyes went wide and mournful, as if its entire world had been shattered.

Jessica murmured under her breath. That kid Zim must be horrible indeed to—wait, what was she thinking? This was a talking dog? She struggled again. The room was still dark, lit only by glowing indicators and random apparatus scattered around on the counters near the walls. But without Zim there, it was much less frightening. do you think you could help me get free here? Jessica whispered to the little dog.

MY PIZZA!! it wailed, and floods of tears dripped from its eyes. But the command seemed to register somewhere and it tipped its ears in her direction before getting up and, with amazing strength, pulling the cables off of her. Now dance with me! it chirped, kicking its little back feet in the air.

Prevalent on Jessica's mind as she struggled to her feet was getting out of this frightening place before Zim returned. Do you know the way out? she said to the little dog. It didn't seem to hear her, totally absorbed in leaping around her in a circle, kicking its feet in the air with its little black forepaws clasped together.

it giggled. Suddenly, the top of its head popped open, revealing the shining glint of metal, and a set of speakers thrust outwards, playing a peppy club tune. Jessica stifled another scream. This wasn't a dog at all! It was some sort of _machine_! A robot suddenly afraid again, Jessica found her feet moving in time with the tune and she twirled around with the little dog, a laugh managing to escape her despite her fear of the situation she was in.

June didn't let go of Zim's arm until they were back behind the stage at the skool. Dib stayed behind all the way, keeping a very close eye on the Invader.

We've been gone twenty minutes, June said, finally releasing Zim's arm. The play is finished as well as it's _going_ to be, at this rate She sighed, gazing up as the stage lights dimmed above. Penny, the new lighting person, gave her a thumbs up from the lighting box. June nodded to her. Zim, Dib, you two help me here. And take off that makeup, Zim. You look hideous. Although she paused to regard him for a moment. After all, he _was_ ugly and weird-looking enough _without_ the makeup on, and it somehow seemed to fit him. Good look, June said after a moment. You know what? Keep the black cape.

Zim glared at her, but then started helping to drag set pieces back into their cardboard box. Dib helped, but kept most of his attention on the alien. So they thought he was only wearing makeup? He'd show them he'd find a way to reveal to them that this wasn't makeup, it was Zim's real face and real head. But how? There was hardly anyone around, now maybe during the cast party after the cleanup. June had said they'd have one and no way was the star' going to be allowed to miss the cast party. Dib grinned.__


	4. Cast Party and Shortcomings

Come on, Dib! Melvin cheered.Have some brownies!Dib's smiling classmate shoved a plate under his nose, oblivious to the paranormalist's somber mood.

Not _now_, Melvin! Dib said, casting a glance at the overeager student.I have to keep an eye on Z— Dib froze abruptly, looking around.Where had that alien _gone_??

Okay, Dib, Melvin said cheerily, stuffing a brownie in his mouth and trotting off.Dib continued to search for Zim.He wondered irately why he hadn't ever _noticed_ how large the drama club was.The stage area was full and the party' had spread out over the gym/cafeteria floor.The chairs of the audience had been pushed aside and tables set up.There was a bag of tortilla chips, a couple liters of soda, and maybe one or two plates that had at one point held baked goods.They were long empty.

The old box of props had been looted and kids were running around in tacky bits of costume and masks, waving old canes, plumed feathers, and even a teddy bear.Dib ignored all of them; his entire attention focused on finding Zim.He thought he saw the flash of a black cape through one branch of the crowd, and immediately ran over, but by then whatever it was had disappeared, leaving only a group of kids who were rather annoyed by Dib's intrusion.They dissipated quickly and moved to the other side of the room.Dib didn't notice, but his eye fell on the props box.An idea occurred to him a bit of a ludicrous one, maybe either way, it couldn't hurt.He ran over to the box and dug through its remaining contents.

Dib settled, finally, on a white sheet with a few holes cut in it.. a couple for arms and one for a face.He pulled it over his head, leaving it loose around his head so his face wasn't visible.Feeling slightly foolish, he worked himself into a group of kids who were wearing bits of costumes and masks, laughing and leaping around, talking to each other.He joined the leaping, feeling even _more_ foolish.Especially since he had no idea if this would work or not and all the time, he kept a watchful eye on everyone around him, searching for Zim.

---

Zim cackled to himself as his gloved claws danced over the tiny control pad attached to his wrist.He flitted from one group of costumed students to the next, silencing them with a blood-red glare and an aggressive inward flick of his antennae.He knew they were staring.The idiotic pig-monkies!They thought his face was some kind of _makeup_.His cackling rose into a delighted swell of maniacal laughter.The FOOLS!No one could stop him now not even that despicable DIB.

Zim glanced to the side, caught a glimpse of a flashing white sheet, and suddenly broke into a run through the crowds.His cape trailed behind him as he took a running leap onto the front of the stage.He pivoted to face the students, a wicked grin spreading across his face.The filth child at the lighting box, Penny, watched him curiously until he stabbed her with a savage glare.Cowering for reasons _she_ knew not, she activated a couple of the lights on the lone figure on the stage.Zim gave in to the wild urge to laugh, and his laughter echoed throughout the room, slowly turning the eyes of every filth human there onto him.

he snapped, the grin never leaving his face.The mighty PHANTOM sneers at your revelry!You laugh _now_, yes, and play your foolish pathetic games, but your day will come!There will be DOOOOOOM for you all!I will be lord of you all!!Lord of your minds and your CONTROL!YOU WILL BOW TO MEEEE!!So saying, Zim snatched up the mask that had fallen to the stage and been abandoned during the performance, and put it on.The object of your terror remains in shadows!!Fear most what you pathetically blind filthies cannot _seeeeee_ Cackling uproariously, Zim tapped another couple of buttons on the control pad on his wrist, and twisting to one side, disappeared.

The lonely sound of two people clapping sounded off to one side.June and Alma.The kids on the floor stirred uncomfortably.That mask doesn't even cover his bad makeup, one of the kids mumbled to another.

What a loser, interjected a third.He thinks he's the _real_ Phantom.

I'll bet he noosed Timmy.

Of COURSE he did! a frantic white sheet hollered, running up to the child who had spoken and shaking cloth covered fists emphatically in the air.Can't you see this is an evil plot by him to take over the world and enslave or destroy us all!?

The kids stared at the sheet.Dude, get a _life_, one of them said, before they all quickly made their way off into the crowd.The sheet didn't seem to notice, but ran at top speed from the gym/cafeteria, down the halls, searching wildly.

--- 

Jessica looked up, startled, as a lift rushed through a shaft very close to her right.She barely managed to get out of the way before an imposing (to her) figure leapt from the shaft, black cape trailing, crimson eyes burning out of a white mask as the figure's head swiveled back and forth.She shrank back, but it finally fixed on the robot which had continued dancing obliviously.

Zim snarled.Stop this foolishness right now!!IAMZIM!And you must witness my bold triumphs over the pathetic filthy minds of the human worm-monkies!!First Zim turned towards Jessica, antennae perked, and regarded her.She was too terrified to move or make a sound.Good.His amaaaazing power was too much for her before he even made a sound!!Standing up tall, Zim allowed an evil anticipatory grin spread over his face as he glared superiorly down at the cowering human worm.She was his lackey and slave!She would be an example to the other humans of the might and power of ZIM!They would fall at his feet!Zim cackled under his breath.Oh, victory had been long in coming, but now that it was in sight, it was delicious.It would—Zim shot a startled glance towards the lift.The human had snuck past him and was climbing into it!

Jessica's hands were clumsy and so were her feet as she tried to get onto the lift apparatus and find a way to make it bring her up from this horrible place.She glanced back uncertainly, only to see the ugly green kid stalking towards her with a terrible grimace on her face.She struck out at him desperately, but long, silver metal appendages snaked from his.. backpack?They arrested her movement and flung her back from the lift with surprising strength.This act of violence stunned her, as well as Zim's agitated motions as he whirled on the dog-robot.She felt a spark of indignation, overcoming her previous clouded silence.

You're CRAZY! she shouted feebly, as she struggled back to her feet.But something about the way Zim was moving, especially dancing around on those metal legs and she looked around her, taking a good hard analysis of the room.She had no idea what any of it was.The style and colors it was built in were extremely weird; it all seemed to jar at the same time as it flowed together.Like an alien planet, or something.Jessica recalled some of Dib's ranting during drama clubs. are you.. an a-alien? she managed, trying to stay on her guard.

Zim, now holding the wriggling robot in his gloved hands, turned to face her with a sneer.I am the PHANTOM, he said, as if this explained everything.And you will OBEEEEY!!

Obey the power of the cheese! the little robot chirped.Master!!There's a giant capertitillar crawlin on your baaaaack!

A WHAT!? Zim dropped the robot and half twisted, turning to try and see what was on his back.

The little dog giggled madly, hopping up and down and wagging its little black tail.Ah made you look!MADE YOU LOOK!! it shrieked.Still giggling, it patted Zim with a black paw and ran to hide behind Jessica.Master's it, it whispered to her.Jessica found herself choking back a laugh.It was it was unbelievably funny, but the entire situation was so _absurd_ she almost forgot the danger she was in from this weirdo.Who was probably an alien, besides.  
  
Cease your foolish games, GIR!! Zim snapped at the little robot, who continued to giggle, looking not at all abashed.I have THINGS to attend to he fixed Jessica with a burning red glare.The very demeanor of the entire room became no longer absurd and playful, but threatening.She reached down and picked up the robot, holding onto it tightly in her uncertainty.  
  
Zim cackled.Put my dog slave down and obey my miiiiiight!!Easily bringing up in his mind how he sang the songs from the play, Zim decided that he wanted to improve on them.They were powerful songs with a strong effect on the pathetic human brains, especially when wielded by someone as amazing as himself, but he was sure there was _more_ he could do with them.Improve them.Jessica was staring fearfully at him, and even GIR had quieted, watching him curiously.Standing up straight and puffing out his chest, Zim started to let loose with an incredibly hypnotic, brilliant string of notes only to freeze cold in the middle of the first one.He had no idea where to go with this.Every sound in his mind that he was hurriedly matching up to the others made no connection, made no _sense_ did not come into a cohesive whole to weave its web of magic and deception around the pitiful human worm's brain._How!?_How did one weave the notes into such a pattern?Into _music_?The mighty Phantom was a master of creating that music.And Zim felt a chill when he realized he had no idea how to do the same.Let GIR entertain the stink-beast for now.Turning, Zim fled the room, booted feet pounding against the metallic floors.The Phantom had _research_ to do.


	5. The Setbacks to Mastery

A small Irken Invader sat hunched over a control console, methodically feeding huuuuuman CDs into his computer's databank. Human music, of all genres, types, styles the sound vibrations spattered in color across the various monitors covering the walls, indicated by washes, steady points, and many other incredibly complex-looking designs, interspersed with Irken writing here and there. Music, was it? A certain affectation of sound vibrations to the wiring in the brain the human brain. The wiring of an Irken brain might have been slightly different but it didn't seem so. Harmony', dissonance', he could tell them apart with finely tuned, superior Irken hearing apparatus.. antennae. And it was more than just sets of notes that antennae could pick up on. But to arrange those notes so that they would stimulate certain neurons in the human brain certain neurons that would allow them to be _controlled_. Of course he had heard well, and learned well, the music for the play. But that was his only experience in the realm of music, and he desperately needed to broaden. The music notation was already filed away in his memory, his vast analytical sense of a wholistic piece of music, attached together in a certain way to act as a channel for the energy that would loosen their pitiful little minds Zim cackled, tapping his gloved fingers together merrily. There was a certain advantage to being a cyborg it allowed programming' of the kinesthetic and mnemonic type to work at extremely rapid rates. The inferior humans would take years, and years, to absorb into themselves the knowledging and programming required to work wonders with this music. One such as an Irken, endowed with both the emotive power and the speed of computing knowledge

Here. The monitors flashed in readiness, and columns of color aross graphs stretched across their glowing surfaces. This pitch, _here_, indicated by a certain set and color on the graph. Zim stabbed at a glowing indicator light with a gloved finger, and the pitch sounded. His antennae whipped into the air, absorbing the nuance of it. Pitches sounded above and around the single note, moving subtley lower and higher in range. There were, he determined after a moment, approximately 96 different tones he could identify before they began to repeat. The graph shifted, blocking the tones into groups of 12, blocking them again into 6, and then into 3 and there, the blocks ended. 3 distinct, if slight, different pitches per quarter-tone in the human octave. And this FOOLISH human music did not even go past half-tones! This would be ridiculously simple! All that Zim needed to do now was arrange these half-tones there were twelve of them, per each octave add that to the cacophony of different tone and color in human-made instruments, and he had a myriad of sounds from which to choose to make his AMAZING compositions. Zim snickered. His ingenius evil would know no bounds once these hypnotic compositions were let loose on the world!

---

I don't.. know how this whole place works.. it's all so strange, Jessica mumbled to the dog-robot still clutched in her arms. He was going to do something terrible to me then, I just _know_ it

shrieked the dog happily, waving its black paws and squirming in her grip with every evidence of joy. It then looked up at her curiously, pink tongue sticking out. Wha'd you say?  
  
Jessica gazed in mute bewilderment at the little dog, then hugged it. It didn't seem to understand a word she was saying maybe it was programmed to simply scream out random words in response to someone speaking. She set it down and resumed her careful inspection of the room around her, walking over towards the wall. She gazed up in awe at the massive cables that coiled up towards the huge ceiling, the lights and mechanisms that covered the walls. _None_ of it made any sense to her, though she was beginning to get over her fear as she gazed up in awe. One of her sneakers snagged on the edge of the flimsy white robe of her costume that she was wearing, and she impatiently took it off, leaving her regular jeans and shirt underneath. The little robot dog trotted behind her, immediately snatched up the robe, tied it around its head, and proceeded to run around the room squealing in joy.  
  
Lookit me!! I so PRETTY! it giggled, waving to Jessica as it ran passed. She waved to it in return with the hint of a shy smile. It really _was_ a cute little dog robot  
  
a commanding shout rang out from across the room, and Jessica whirled to its source, startled.  
  
HI MASTER! squealed the dog, turning its energetic waving towards the green kid' who had just arrived. Zim paused, looked at the robot, the black antennae-like appendages on his bald head perking up towards it. Jessica shivered. This really _couldn't_ be just a costume. That kid Dib had been right all along Fear clogged her throat again as the burning red gaze turned to her.  
  
Christine, he said, with a wicked grin.  
  
M-my name isn't Christine, she managed to stammer, shrinking away from him. And let me go!! I don't care if you're a an.. alien just what's WRONG with you!? You're—  
  
Zim sneered, folding his arms over his chest and leaning confidently against the counter running the length of the wall. And as for the matter of your pathetic human NAME— he paused, seeming to consider something, then turned his glare back on her. You are CHRISTINE! And you will OBEEEY MEEEEE!!!  
  
I'll be Christine, the little robot dog said cheerfully. Jessica looked over to see it clothed resplendently in the robe she'd abandoned, although the costume was far too long and the dog kept tripping over the edges as it pranced around.  
  
Zim said impatiently, and he stood up, going over to a control console and tapping a few spots on a keypad. A graph and a range of colors lit up along several of the monitors on one wall. The alien leaned back, looking at them in consideration, then turned to Jessica with a grin. Now, my DEAR angel of music, he said, his voice dripping with conceit, listen to the amaaazing work of Ziiiiiim and you will no longer be able to resist my will! Wahahahahahahahaha!!! Cackling like a maniac, he pressed another couple of buttons, and sound began to pour from an unknown source.  
  
Jessica listened and her face scrunched into a grimace. It sounded like a random assortment of notes, one after the other, and all of them different but they weren't in a line, either. It went high, low, middle, and back all around again. The blare of a different instrument accompanied each note, each different pitch and color only repeating itself when all the others had played in a serial line. she finally said, holding her hands against her ears. It's AWFUL!  
  
Abruptly the cacophony ended, and Zim whirled to face her, black cape swirling around his boots. You dare? You DARE to insult the masterwork of ZIIIIIIIIIIM!?! He advanced towards her, hands clenched into fists and upraised. His crimson eyes burned into hers, and she shrank away again, flattening her back against the wall. The alien paused a few feet from her, seething, but as he watched her cower, something in his expression changed.  
  
You are nothing but a simple human, he observed, his voice low and annoyed. I have.. _obviously_ not yet found the proper combination of sound to affect your filthy brainmeats. BUT! and he jabbed a gloved finger at her. I WILL TRIUMPH!! Do not think you can be free of ZIM's amazing CONTROL for much longer, HUMAN!! Pivoting around again, Zim stalked angrily back to the lift, leaped on it, and with a slight whir of machinery, disappeared once more. Jessica let out a deep breath of relief, then turned to look at the dog, who was running towards her, tripping on the white robe, one closed paw outstretched to her.  
  
I caught a moth!!!! it cried.


	6. Struggle and Victory

Months passed. The intangible energy of the music Zim worked to produce slipped beyond his grasp time and time again. He flung himself into the mastery of it, holing up underground. The skin under his eyes became hollowed and darkened, his fingers ached, and his mind struggled with concepts relatively foreign to him. He re-constructed instruments of human make based on information gathered by his computer, studied their properties and how they made sound, mastered the technique of drawing from them the notes he wanted and could identify with his finely tuned Irken hearing, guarded them against GIR, and worked further on his own composition. He could not see how the humans who were revered as composers had done their work. He spent long hours working through every note of any composition he laid his claws on, easily storing relevant pieces of information in his efficient cyborg brain. He absorbed theory, memorized harmonies in fifths, thirds, seconds, ninths, sixtieths, in and between the ninety-six individual tones _he_ could hear in the octave'. He trained his mind to feel what was right and wrong about them, and constantly tested out his experiments on the human girl. He put her under rigorous testing and scans, used his computer to analyze the musical wiring of her brain. He built a synthetic reproduction of that wiring, tweaked and perfected it over time, working with the girl's musical sense (which was quite substantial, for a human) closely.

The day came when he struck a series of chords on his interpretation of the Phantom's pipe organ. It was far superior to anything a human could build, of course, but the sounds that reverberated and pitched back and forth from it made the two figures at his side stare. His robot slave leaped and cheered eagerly, the human stink-girl stared with wide eyes, and the lights on the screen fed into his synthetic reproduction of the human-brain wiring lit up in a series of circular patterns that spoke one thing to the delighted alien—success. He cackled maniacally, rippling his fingers across the keyboard of the pipe organ, forcefully drawing sounds from it that threw the reproduction into a light-blinking frenzy. The human girl too, seemed to be enjoying it greatly. But something was wrong. She was not getting hypnotized. What had he done differently, Zim wondered, as his fingers moved to produce the sounds of the age-old Phantom of the Opera song on the organ. There was something different when he rode not on intense desire of mastery, and instead on his elated feeling of power that encompassed every feeling he lived for, every emotion that was even allowed a Soldier such as he, the one reward of his merciless and cold-hearted existence. The feeling of accomplishment, of having proved his ultimate worth, of being in control possibly, even, of winning the appreciation of his Tallest.

He spun around on the organ bench to look at the human girl. She had grown taller, and no less filthy, but he had gotten used to her filthy alien presence. She, at least, did nothing to try and sabotage his VERY important work, like that disgusting Dib creature. Zim was fully aware of the futile attempts of his enemy to root him out and expose him, but as he had withdrawn into his project, which had taken him deeper and deeper underground and into himself, his encounters with the Dib-weasel-PIG-monkey had been far fewer. A definite blessing. Perhaps the filthy human child would leave him alone to complete his mission of conquering the world with his mighty powers of hypnosis. It was a certain kind of energy, that could work through the channel of the music that affected the wiring of the human brain, and this energy was the key to drawing their minds to his command. Once he mastered the music, he would hold Earth in the palm of his gloved hand, and offer it up to his Tallest, with all his being and devotion as an Invader to the glory of the Irken Empire. What a day that would be. A day when he was finally recognized, a day when he had no more need to lurk among filth-creatures on this planet of dirt, a day when the Tallest upheld him to the rank and prestige he TRULY deserved!! Zim's fingers grew tense on the organ keys. He had been born short. But he was tall at heart, more AMAZING than anyone in the Empire! Except, of course, the Tallest, in their mighty Tallness he paused thoughtfully, then turned back around to the organ, and began to play again. A light chuckle crept from his throat. He was amazing. He had mastered this key of controlling the minds of humans, and everything would now fall into place at his very will. His fingers struck up and down the keyboard in a harmony of chords as his laughter grew and swelled, filling the entire room. GIR's high-pitched, eager giggling joined in, but there was nothing but silence from the human girl next to his robot slave. He turned his head slightly and saw the glazed look in her eyes. He had done it. His laughter escalated to wild heights, matched by the music pouring from the organ pipes and wrapping itself around the hapless human's brain.


	7. Music In Her Mind

Alright, alright! Dib called down the hall. I'll clean it up in a minute!! Shouldering the door to his room open, the somewhat disheveled Dib staggered into his room under the weight of a stack of books, which he pitched onto his bed with a groan. Homework, again. Piles of it. Way too much of it. Damnit, he didn't have TIME for this! He had WORK to do! IMPORTANT work! Leaving the books where they sat, he darted over to his computer, slid into the chair at his desk, and typed away, bringing up numerous files and schematics onto the screen. They filed past his gaze, reflecting off of his glasses. Everything he'd gathered over the years on the Irken Empire. There was a _lot_ of information but he still had no proof. No real, _tangible_, evidence of alien existence none that he was willing to give up yet, anyway. There was still so much to be learned from what he _had_ pilfered, most notably Tak's alien ship. He wouldn't turn that in it had been in his garage for all this time, and he was still learning from it. And somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew it was probably the only escape he'd ever have, the only chance to get off this planet and see the things he longed to see.

Zim's elusive behavior these past years made Dib terribly suspicious, but there wasn't a lot he could do about it. They'd never found that girl who had played Christine, back when he and Zim were in fifth grade and Zim's attendance to skool had been cursory at best, and had stopped altogether after the graduation from eighth grade. That alien was up to something some huge project, something horrible. And Dib had no idea what it was. From the information he'd gathered he knew that Irkens lived a very long time something close to the equivalent of 400 Earth years. Zim could not have left, or given up, in the space of a mere five years. He was merely working steadily towards his goal. A surge of worry crossed Dib's mind depending on just how old Zim was (and despite his height he knew him to be a fully adult Irken, likely in his prime), he would very likely outlive the one person who knew enough about him to stop him. _Maybe I should train a successor once I'm out of skool,_ Dib thought with a wry smirk.

But there was nothing to be done about the long Irken lifespan not right now. Dib called up the scanner readouts of the equipment he'd long had monitoring the greenish glowing house that Zim used as a stronghold. Nothing new, although the base kept itself easily maintained. He hadn't seen Zim leave that house in a long time, either on foot or in his Voot ship; it had been at _least_ a few months. His stupid robot sidekick regularly trotted out in its pathetic disguise on a brainfreezy run, but Dib had captured that thing once before and had found it to be utterly worthless in terms of getting information and an extreme pain to deal with, besides. The minute bits of technology that ran the thing defied his systems, and the robot itself was anything but helpful. Besides, from what Dib could tell, it fouled up Zim's own plans more often than it assisted them. He figured it was best to just leave the malfunctioning SIR unit where it was.

his sister's irate voice hollered down the hall.

I'm coming, I'm coming!! he yelped, leaping from his chair and tripping over his own feet before tearing out into the hall. 

---

For once, it was quiet. The top floor of Zim's base, the house' section built to superficially resemble a human dwelling, was usually echoing with some kind of noise GIR's screaming, the computer doing things, the clank of the robo-parents in their closets, the waves of music that now frequently spiraled up from the inner recesses of the lab. But now, GIR lay half in Jessica's lap, peacefully asleep, its metal legs kicking gently. She had one hand rested on its head as she gazed out the window. Snow was falling. To be expected, at this time of year, but snow meant little to her anymore. She had vague memories of playing out in it, memories that seemed to grow stronger as her eyes sought out details of the street and houses beyond the single plot that consisted of her home for the past five years. Something was different.. radically so. She couldn't quite place it. The robot against her leg stirred, and she looked down at it for a minute. It wasn't like GIR to be so quiet it wasn't like this whole _house_ to be so quiet—that was it, she realized. There was no music. There was almost always music, either from the alien's voice or from the various instruments that he kept around the base. There were periods of silence, at times, but at least while she was awake there was an almost constant haunting stream of sound. Sometimes when she awoke, she was overwhelmed by images, and memories, and fears in the deafening silence around her. But then the Irken Invader was always there, and the music would return. Even now, she couldn't for the life of her remember what had frightened her so in those moments of silence and the aftermath of her dreams.

GIR giggled softly in its sleep. Jessica wondered what the robot dreamed about, if anything. She wasn't sure robots _could_ dream, but this one acted like it did. She wished she could remember _her_ dreams. The snatches of them that she did remember, if she didn't look quite at them, seemed to almost sharpen in the silence. Silence was something she knew only in her sleep, and somehow it was bringing her dreams to the forefront. Intrigued, she let the play of random images continue the snow, yes, she remembered playing in the snow. Her mother and father she was badly startled to think that she hadn't thought of them in months. Years. Images of structures like Zim's base, only far more impressive, open, and breath-taking. Monuments of power to some alien civilization. Those images faded quickly, and she was left wondering where they had come from. More images slowly grew in her mind, images of the desperate fifth-grader years ago that had been determined to stop Zim. No one had listened to him. Why, she thought, tears pricking at her eyes. He had been right all along he'd been right

a stormy voice broke through her thoughts and she turned to see Zim spring from the toilet in the kitchen. He was dressed in a mask and black cape, as he always was when she saw him. In all the years she'd been here, had he changed at _all_? He certainly hadn't gotten any _taller.._ As her gaze met his she felt a tinge of resentment cloud her mind. Did she have _anything_ in her life here? How long had she _been_ here? She had no one except the robot. She matched his burning red gaze defiantly, and his eyes widened only slightly, before he grinned.

It's been too quiet around here, hasn't it, _angel_? he said, and a moment later his voice melted into a song. It was in his own language, the Irken language, that Jessica didn't understand and never had been able to, although it felt oddly familiar, and comforting. The dream images in her mind disappeared, and she felt no regret at their loss, only a strange comfort and feeling of safety as her mind sank back into the music. Why would she belong anywhere else? Why would she give her loyalty to anyone other than the Phantom who brought her such comfort and took care of her? Her eyes closed as one hand absently stroked GIR's head.

--- 

Dib lay across his bed, glaring angrily out the window. At least he had the whole weekend to finish his homework. He shifted, uncomfortably aware of the stack of books digging into his ribs. He'd never bothered to move them from the bed. Despite the fact that all's he wanted to do was shove them under the bed and never let them see daylight again. He wondered briefly if his father would even notice if he dropped out of skool probably not, he thought bitterly. And Gaz certainly wouldn't care. She'd withdrawn even more into herself since her first hi skool year had started. No one at skool messed with her. No one dared. Dib rubbed the spreading bruise on his temple. Unfortunately, living with someone required a certain amount of messing' with them.

At least the snow would keep Zim inside but then, what would entice him to venture out? Dib _had_ to get in there, find out what the alien was _doing_. He knew it was something horrible. Dib didn't want to think about the fate that had befallen the girl Zim had kidnapped. A voice from his lurking memories echoed in Dib's mind Let's see what your organs look like on the outside!!' He shuddered. If it hadn't been for Gaz but then.. who had gone to save Jessica? Nobody, Dib thought bitterly. Not even me. I was too busy trying to convince everyone else in the face of the evidence that he was an alien. I could've done better. If he'd been able to get out alive or _in_ alive, for that matter.

He owed it to her, and to everyone else that alien had hurt, or tricked, or manipulated to stop Zim. With a sigh he shoved his homework books to one side and got off the bed. He didn't have time for the pointless drivel of math and english and geography they tried to shove down his throat. He had to save the WORLD! In a blind rush he pulled on his trenchcoat and started unpacking his backpack, flinging folders and papers haphazardly across the floor. He replaced them rapidly with examples of all his latest equipment examples he felt sure would demonstrate to Zim that the humans were not as helpless as the Irken thought.

--- 

What do you think of this one, stink-beast? the alien said snidely as he smoothly played a formidable composition on the upright piano that lingered conventionally in the upstairs living room, shoved to one side of the wall near the TV. Jessica did not notice his tone, she had ears only for his music. Zim sat haughtily at the piano bench, his black cape trailing majestically off its edge. His face twisted in a grin of triumph under the mask he wore as his crimson eyes lit up, boring into hers. Her gaze was demurely lowered, her arms around GIR, which giggled and squirmed in her grasp. She let the music flow through her soul and carry her with it. As Zim turned away from her again, continuing the song without another word, she found her body swaying to the powerful melody as she sat cross-legged near the piano on the floor. The chords crashed up and down the keys, pulling her with each dip and swell of sound. There was one thing in common between all of Zim's compositions; a feeling of violence and victory. It never strayed, and while each one had the power to carry her along with it indefinitely, it was only one feeling, one emotion, and she wondered, in the murky whispers of her mind, if Zim were capable of more. Could he express in his art what he didn't feel? Did he feel anything but this?

He really was amazing, she thought under the hypnotic strains of music, watching the little alien sway to his own rhythm as he played with a delighted grin on his face. GIR left its place in her arms to dance happily around the room. Its high-pitched, off-key singing split the air, jarring at Jessica's mind and causing Zim to bring his composition to an end with a crashing and definitive ending minor chord. Jessica jumped visibly at the sound as Zim spun around on the bench to glare at his robot minion. he snarled. Be silent!! He remained there, breathing heavily for a moment as he mustered his entire power of glare to focus on the little robot. It only smiled charmingly and waved to him.

Muttering under his breath about the piece needing more work, Zim leapt from the bench and stalked into the kitchen, climbing up onto the toilet and descending quickly from sight. Jessica stared at the toilet long after Zim had disappeared.

GIR said imploringly, tugging at her arm and distracting her from her lost gaze and thoughts.

she said, looking down at the robot and blinking.

Your friend's at the window! it giggled happily, before dancing into the kitchen.

My what? She quickly twisted around to look back towards the windows, only to see a quick glimpse of a relatively shocked face, framed by dark hair in an odd style and half covered by a pair of large glasses. The face was so familiar. She could not, for the life of her, place where she had seen him before but she was sure she had. Curious, Jessica got to her feet, and went over to open the door.

By then, the boy was on the sidewalk, his eyes warily on the lawn gnomes. hello? Jessica ventured. She didn't _usually_ have answer-door duty, that was mostly the job of the robo-parents, but she'd taken care of things once or twice when they had been offline for various reasons. She wondered what this kid was doing here he wasn't any older than _she_ was.

He was also quite obviously at a loss for words. Wha.. where who are you!? he finally managed, staring at her in undisguised astonishment.

Er.. my name's Jessica can I help you? she said uncertainly. This only seemed to make the boy grow more frantic.

he yelped. That.. it's.. you can't be.. he couldn't've that's not possible!! You mean y—HE BRAINWASHED YOU, DIDN'T HE!? The boy pointed a quavering finger at her.

excuse me? she stared at him. Brainwashed? Was he talking about Zim? No, Zim certainly hadn't _brainwashed_ her she didn't know a lot about him, it was true, only that he played wonderful music, and he was an alien living on Earth for some some reason she didn't know.

Heedlessly the boy ran up to her, nearly tripping over his own booted feet. He reached out, his hands closing on her arms as he stared wildly into her eyes. he mumbled, wide-eyed. Jessica, after all these years no one ever had any idea where you were!! You were with HIM all this time!

She stared at him. Yes, I— she froze in mid-sentence. This was the boy. The boy. The gawky one with the too-large head, the glasses, and the freakish outfits. He'd changed, grown he was taller now, taller than her, and he was even more gawky, in a terribly adolescent way, though his head was less out of proportion than it had been. What had he wanted with Zim back then? What did he want now? Gingerly she pulled her arms from his grasp.

He HAS brainwashed you!!

No! Who ARE you?? Her gaze met his, scared. They said he was insane in skool, they always said he was insane and she still couldn't remember his name.

You don't remember me? Dib? From the play; I was Raoul? I never saw you otherwise!! You were a grade above me! Nobody's SEEN you in five years!! You've been given up for DEAD!

I have?

But why would.. Jessica stumbled back into the house, feeling her head start to swim. Dead? They thought she was dead? Nothing about her previous life was still alive to her! She couldn't even remember most of it small things, hints of images nothing more.

Dib followed her inside, taking hold of her arms again. He's brainwashed you! Forget it! Forget all the things he's done to you! You need to come back to the _human_ world!! That's where we all are!

Jessica looked up at him slowly, painstakingly, finding it almost hard to let her gaze linger on him that long. He stared down at her with such outright worry, and righteous caring for the well-being of someone he thought oppressed she hadn't even known him in skool. Nobody had. Had they? Nobody had known Zim, either. Had they? Zim was not a student. He was not a human. She knew this, but there was no longer anything even remotely odd about it. He was an alien. A small, wonderful

You need help, Dib was whispering under his breath. You need to get away from him! Come with me!!

she said, looking away from him. No, I won't.

Dib's grip tightened on her arms. Yes! You're delusional, Jessica! You can't mean you want to STAY with this alien wretch!

I do, she said, her voice barely audible.

Dib stared at her, uncomprehending. You can't mean that. Come with me!! We've got to get you help if you'd even _think_ of saying that!!

She twisted out of his grip, a flash of anger crossing her face. You presumptious moron!! You'd take me from my my My what? House? This wasn't her house. It was Zim's base. The robot? Zim _himself_? The music? she said, more quietly. I don't want to go. I can't go.

You have to! Dib reached for her again, desperately.

No! You don't understand! she snapped in reply. Just go away she pressed her fingers to her temples, brow furrowed as she backed into the kitchen.

You can't—

HIIIIIII BAGELFISH HEAD!!!! a high-pitched voice screeched behind Jessica. A moment later, GIR rushed between her legs and into the living room, headed straight for Dib. He stared for a split second before bolting and slamming the door behind him in the little robot's face. It merely giggled wildly as it crashed into the obstruction.

--- 

Zim snarled in answer to a polite informative from his computer. I will NOT deal with any more stink-monkey beasts invading my base! No one is home! No one!! He made little shooing motions with his hands, before stalking over to the pipe organ whose structure graced an entire two walls and ceiling of this particular underground chamber. It wouldn't do, then, to let the filth-girl's mind stray too far from his amazing music, not with a whole human world out there probably waiting to SNATCH HER AWAY the stink-human was _his_ slave! His tool! HIS! Who had even come to his door? No one had come to his door in months! It had better not be that filthy, prying, Dib-weasel again. If it were, Zim would show him a thing or two. Show him what it was like to _truly_ fear Zim climbed to the console of the organ, hastily pulled out every organ stop, ran his gloved claws along the keys, and started to play, perking his antennae to listen to the sounds that reverberated and soared from the pipes reaching up to the immense ceiling, infusing the entire base with glorious waves of sound. The Irken smiled. With sound, and his understanding of it as it applied to the human psyche he truly would rule the world. 

---

Dib flattened against the wall of a house a few doors down from the greenish glowing alien base. He panted, but only for a moment, before slinging off his backpack and kneeling down behind a copse of bushes. He felt a tinge of nostalgia along with the unpleasant sensation of damp snow seeping through his pant legs. His fingers, numbed by the cold, fumbled out his laptop and switched it on, holding it on top of his backpack to keep it from the snow. He wore gloves, but they were fingerless to accommodate needed dexterity. He took a moment to breath heavily on his fingers before starting to set up the rest of his equipment. If he couldn't convince that poor, obviously brainwashed girl but he _would_ save her. What else could he possibly do, when he'd so long failed to bring that horrible alien to justice?

He paused a moment, looking at the equipment set up around him, his breath frosty in the cold air. Every piece went with every other piece, fitted together with a particular exactness that left no doubt to its function. He could see, in his mental eye, how every detail came together, even the details he couldn't see with his physical eyes. Was this how his father did things? Created inventions? Understood the world? Science was a brilliant phenomenon, and something Dib found he had the ability to manipulate to the fullest. He was quite sure his understanding even surpassed his father Dib knew of things that the general public did not. His father was not the first to create free energy, and not the first to have it hidden underneath the capitalist bureaucracy to maintain the sickening flow of funds coughed up by the public for less efficient means of power Dib shook his head as his numb fingers tapped away on his laptop keys. That was nothing he wanted to focus on now. He had a life to save. Someone he'd failed to save years ago someone so innocent it hit a spot deep within his mind, seeing her under the power of something so.. twisted and deranged and horrible as that stupid little alien. He let out another sigh as the computer beeped, informing him of its remote access. Despite its complexity, the study of Irken technology had served Dib very well over the years he tapped a couple of extra keys, and smiled.


	8. A Heroic Rescue

The music was there again. In full force, sweeping over her senses, alternately relaxing and tensing her muscles, doing with her what it would. Jessica lay on the couch, her hair splayed around her, her eyes closed and her mouth open. There was even a line of drool soaking into the couch cushion. She didn't notice the giggling little robot as it climbed up to sit on her shoulders and tie her hair in braids—knots—while humming along with the unmistakable sounds of the pipe organ. It tugged on her emotions, played on a combination of fear and delight, and brought her spirit and mind to a realm which she'd perhaps only dreamed of before. It was the most beautiful realm in the world the realm of music. The realm closest, perhaps, to what things really were. If only she could visit that realm by herself instead of leashed to this little alien but how glorious it was. How glorious he was to give her this gift! She found her voice wavering along with the music, singing wordlessly, her desperate desire to join with Zim in creating this glorious world of sound. It was not an urge she often succumbed to—he did not approve of her beastly caterwauling' one bit. She knew he shut her out the problem was not in her technical execution she knew it. She knew so many things when she existed in this realm, but she saw them from a distance, feeling only how beautiful and glorious the experience was, and caring nothing more than to be a part of it forever. Intellect played no role in this world. Why did the music always have to end?

--- 

The song seemed to go on forever, but even when Zim lifted his fingers from the keys, the song played on, the instrument remembering through a highly advanced system of computerized sensors just how it had been played. There was work he wanted to do, important work, and for the moment he could let the computer take over. It was not so efficient, he'd found, as doing the playing himself after all, the computer had no feeling, while Zim put his own AMAZINGNESS into the music.

Leaping onto a lift that swiftly transported to him an adjoining room, Zim shut his eyes for a moment and let the remembered music and the actual remaining sound wash through him. It was, oddly enough, calming, taking parts of him to a place where everything made so much sense—but no, that was foolishness. Extending his mech legs, Zim leapt from the lift station to a platform and a control console strictly controlling the temperature and moisture. He glanced over the reading levels; all was in order. Unlike some projects, this did not require adjustment; his charges in _this_ room did not change their needs. Earth wood was, of course, inferior in needing these stable setups, but it was a necessary factor and hardly a difficult one. Zim turned from the console to survey the room.

Up on counters, pedestals, shelves, and many other fabricated solid surfaces, were instruments musical instruments. Ancient things from cultures Zim had never heard of perhaps even from the remnants of Irk's old culture, as well as every Earth-designed instrument Zim had gotten his claws on. And of course, his improvements on those instruments. His _unmatched_ mechanical and acoustic understanding had allowed him to correct many imperfections in every human-made piece of comparative trash he had. More sound. He needed more sound and he would figure out, with his amazing mind, how to _get_ more sound. Stepping over to one surface, he reached out a gloved hand to touch the smooth, varnished surface of a violin. Although it had proven surprisingly difficult to master, at least compared to the simple setup of the press-a-key-get-a-sound instruments, Zim had immediately picked up on its incredible range in all aspects compared to them, and identified its unique tones to being very Earth-like. Its voice was like a human's, but beautiful. The alien sneered. Yes, beautiful. At least now, now that he had improved it, and used his vast and superior understanding to _make_ it beautiful. Because _he_ had made it. And he was amazing. Already he was figuring out ways to run extra strings where they would be affected easily by the resonance, and ring immediately when an exact pitch was played. In fact, he was working on a design with which he could use nothing but the power of the sound waves to draw music from many instruments at once. Picking up the instrument and its bow, Zim stepped over to an adjoining workstation, drew down a sensor and a manufacturing arm, and got to work.

--- 

Dib whispered. The laptop's screen flashed, and a series of indictator lights blinked in a pattern along a couple of his devices. Many would've thought a sound screen impossible to build. Maybe even his dad. But what human technology couldn't do yet, Irken technology _could_. And that was block sound waves with little more than a simple _command_ okay it wasn't a simple command but it was all you needed. Dib had experimented with sound, who hadn't? He'd seen glass shatter with nothing but sound. He'd seen foundations tumble to the ground from its influence. And his remote sensors were definitely picking up on sound waves coursing through that alien's base. Shutting them up would make his job _so_ much easier. And if he could believe his computer—and he knew he could—he'd just managed to do that. An elated grin crossed his face as Dib got to his feet and attempted to brush the melted snow from his pants. He would beat Zim. He would do it no matter how much work it took. What else could he do, on such a backwards world as he lived in? Now was the time to act, before the alien realized what was happening which could be quite some time, if he was down underground Dib, had, after all, only sealed the underground rooms from the outside, not from each other.

Stepping over his equipment and onto the sidewalk, Dib checked carefully to make sure it was well hidden, then ran towards the glowing green house, his boots slapping against the concrete.

--- 

The sound was gone. It had stopped. All of a sudden, dropping Jessica's mind like a hot brick and jolting her painfully back to reality'. Although the painful jolts of her hair being yanked on were certainly not helpful to the sensation—

she cried, struggling to sit up and pushing the robot off of her onto the floor. GIR giggled insanely, then frowned as if just noticing the absence of the music. The music stopped, GIR Jessica said uncertainly. Wasn't that the second time today? Maybe even the third? She didn't know. This had never happened more than _once_ not during the day, anyway. She shook her head.

I can fix it, giggled the robot, and it sprinted over to the piano in the corner, vaulting onto the bench and crashing its costumed black paws onto the keys. Jessica winced at the dischord, and GIR pounded down again, shrieking with joy. Her wince turned into a cringe as agony lanced through her mind and her heart, causing Jessica to grip her head quickly.

she managed. Why did this hurt so much? Listening to banged piano keys should not be painful uncomfortable, maybe, but not—GIR banged a few more times, and she was barely able to stifle her screams. Something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong. Where was Zim? Where was his music? A groan slid from her lips. Where was she when she really needed him?

She heard her name, faintly, struggling through the awful, jarring sounds of GIR's banging on the piano. She heard its shrieks rise in greeting to this new voice, but she could not understand what it was saying. She heard the new voice yelling something else, but she couldn't understand it, either. Vaguely she felt cold hands grabbing her arms, felt an arm around her waist, and then the faint sensation of being lifted, although she didn't feel like she could feel or think about _anything_ outside of the pain coursing through her skull. She didn't even feel the cold when she was dragged out the front door of Zim's house, nor did she comprehend the desperate, reassuring male voice jabbering at her. The piano key banging suddenly stopped, and she heard a single piercing yell from the robot before the front door slammed: 


	9. Glimpse of Another World

Long hours passed Zim by as he worked on his instrument. This particular coat of crystal over _this_ piece of wood, this particular string fastened _here_ and tuned precisely to _this_ pitch well, it wasn't finished yet, but every thing he did was an amazing improvement over what had once.. _once_ been a human instrument. Zim cackled under his breath and straightened up, letting the cyborg attachments wired through his body refresh his muscles of their own accord. With a pleased smile across his face, he hopped down from the workstation, replaced the instrument on the table, and took his exit to the room built around his pipe organ. Still it played, and the smile on Zim's face grew even wider. He had certain principles he wanted to test out although he'd long ago abandoned digital sound AMAZING as Irken technology was, there was something about the property of actual sound vibrations generated by a true source that held more power and reality. That realization had been a struggle, and he'd been extremely surprised to know it true.

But for this next experiment, he needed the assistance of his stink-slave, Jessica. Her mind was his model, with all the extensive testing and manipulating he had done to her nerve centers to amplify her susceptibility to music and sound. No other human would do! He had put too much work into this one, ultimately. Yes, too much work—so why wasn't she AROUND!?! Grumbling and muttering in disgust, Zim marched to the lift that would carry him to the top level of the base. He stood smartly on the lift platform as it shot upwards, arms crossed and fingers tapping impatiently against them. The only thought on his mind was finding Jessica and continuing his experiment, at the moment, so although his senses were aware that the sound waves from below abruptly shut off once he passed a certain checkpoint to the top level, his mind did not acknowledge it.

At least, not until he reached the top, leapt from the toilet, and was promptly assailed by the horrible cacophony of GIR's pounding on the piano keys. He knew it was GIR Jessica would never ever do such a thing. It was beyond her physical tolerance levels! She must be writhing in agony at this blasphemy! Growling under his breath, Zim stalked into the living room.

he hollered. Cease that insufferable— his voice froze mid-sentence as a gust of cold air hit him in the face, and he turned to stare at the empty room before him and the front door swinging loosely. Specks of snow blew in across the floor, and Zim could do naught but stare, his antennae flattened against GIR's playing'. Jessica was gone. GONE. How!? Why!? WHERE!?! Zim's cry of rage was lost amongst the dischord of the piano and GIR's delighted shrieks.

--- 

In all the years he'd been alive, Dib could not remember ever having had a girl in his room who wasn't his sister. And not only in his room, but lying on his bed. He figured the shock, whatever the shock had been, had been what caused her to black out but then, she'd been living under alien mind control for years, now. Of course, her re-introduction to the real world would be a jarring but necessary process.

Dib stood by the bed, carefully pushing an errant skool book back underneath it with his boot. No time for homework now. No time. He had so much to do; he couldn't waste his time with pointless attention to grades that measured nothing of consequence and only mattered to skool records. There were bigger things in life. Much bigger things like saving people from the whims of evil manipulative aliens.

Dib gazed down at Jessica lying on the bed. Aside from the incredibility of there being a teenage girl on his bed, a fact that he was doing his very best to ignore, there was something else that held his attention almost irrevocably. She was human, typically so, around his age, probably a year older; she'd been a grade above him back in middle skool but what really held his attention was what she was wearing. No longer the magenta t-shirts and baggy jeans of her childhood, or anything that could even remotely be considered Earth apparel when you really looked at it. She wore some kind of suit, in shades of red and purple, that, strangely enough, on a quick glance looked almost exactly like what one would expect a teenage girl to be wearing. He hadn't had time, before, to look at this, and it was just subtle enough to escape direct notice but the clothes' she was wearing were unmistakably Irken.

He turned away, filled with silent horror. He had no idea what Zim had done to this girl's mind but that rotten alien had had her under his control for _years_.. at least what? Five years? That was a long time. Far too long, in Dib's opinion. If he only he could've done more but he'd been too busy with his evidence he hadn't cared enough about the human casualty factor. He should've realized! But he'd let real life' and facts take his attention and now this had happened.

A soft groan distracted Dib from his thoughts, and he spun around towards Jessica, rushing to her side. Her eyelids fluttered and then opened. They stared blankly for a moment, then grew wide. Dib held his breath. What would she do, finding herself in some place other than the only place Zim had let her know?

She turned to him and her mouth opened, as an expression of shock and fear crossed her face. In spite of that, she did remember his name. she stammered. Her voice trembled. am I? She seemed extremely upset damn.. damn damn.. this was going to be hard. Dib's forte was _not_ his social skills.

You're safe, Jessica! he said energetically, gesturing to the room around him. I got you away from that evil alien's base look, I _know_ he's been controlling your mind and I know this probably going to be _really_ hard for you but you've got to try! You're human! You're not his little.. pet slave thing!

Jessica stared at him for a moment more, then turned her face away towards the wall and the elaborate posters that covered it. He _had_ taken her away, then. Taken her away from oh god where was she? How was she going to get home? Where was her home? Was it with Zim? Where was Zim? Turning to Dib, she voiced the last question, almost hesitantly.

Dib stared at her for a long moment, like he couldn't believe she had asked that. off at his base, doing horrible things no doubt! He's probably going to try and make you come back so he can use you for whatever he's doing down there You don't want to go back to him, Jessica!! He's done _awful_ things to you!

Had he? Jessica looked away again, then very carefully pushed herself to a sitting position. Well, it was a fair question, wasn't it? She bit her lip and frowned, considering. She couldn't remember no, she could, but only in snatches. She _did _remember Dib, from skool, a long time ago. She remembered when she'd first been kidnapped by Zim, ala the Phantom, and was surprised to realize that such a frightening event had been remembered in her mind with such fondness. That wasn't right was it? She viewed that particular memory with a thrill and affection she couldn't ever remember feeling before. What had Zim done to her, that was so awful? He'd given her music. He'd sang to her. And in all these years, he'd never touched her. But she'd never missed that the music and his voice had seemed like the only thing that had mattered.

Dib said, moving worriedly around the bed in an almost clumsy dance. She turned to look at him again. He was concerned, for _her_. For her sake. Had Zim ever bothered to worry about her? Of course he must've! He just wasn't very good at showing it! She could respect that. Couldn't she?

A.. a real long time it's been a long time, Jessica told Dib. He's been he please understand I She fell silent as her emotions warred within her. She found herself aching for things that had never seemed to matter. A kind word, a soft touch, a little consideration why had Zim never given her these things? Was his music so divine that it made everything else irrelevant? Was he nothing _but_ a ghost, like he claimed? Was he someone real that she could love? She realized with a painful ache in her heart that she didn't know. She'd never seen him beyond the veil of music and the distance he put between them. He called her his angel. Surely that meant

Don't cry, Dib was saying nervously. Don't be upset.. it's.. er.. it's all right.. he can't hurt you here. Jessica looked up at him and saw her vision blurred with tears. She hadn't realized she'd been crying. Hastily she wiped her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of someone who was trying to be so nice to her, even if he had the wrong idea she felt his hand clumsily pat her shoulder, and she reached up to take his hand. It was like a jolt of fire through her entire being. She gasped. She hadn't _touched_ another person in in so long

Dib, on the other hand, was blushing furiously. She couldn't remember what that meant. Maybe she would, in time. She'd lived with other humans, once, before her glorious and uncertain days with Zim maybe someday she'd remember how to do that. All at once, as she held onto Dib's hand, the entire human experience seemed well, no less exciting and wonderful, in its own way, than what Zim gave to her. And especially with someone so

she mumbled softly.

Uh.. yeah?

you'll take care of me, won't you?

well I Dib's blush turned a deep scarlet, and she felt his hand sweat and tense in her grip. uh.. sure. I mean, I have to keep you safe from _him_ he'll be back for you, the bastard He winced, looking even more abashed at his word usage. Jessica stifled a giggle, and he responded with a very weak smile. Maybe things in the human world wouldn't be so bad after all

--- 

Are we goin for pizza, Maztur? the little green dog asked, staring wide-eyed up at Zim.

snarled the little alien, as he adjusted his disguise. We are going to FIND JESSICA!! Zim's robot slave giggled charmingly and Zim fought back another choking wave of rage. How dare it? How dare GIR act like this? This was IMPORTANT!! This was deadly serious!! Jessica was GONE!! Zim did not stop to look at his feelings or figure out why, exactly, it was so important that Jessica be returned to him. He had no time or thought for that, none at all. The only thing he understood or was willing to act on was the feelings themselves. He didn't remember ever feeling quite as enraged as this before but the emotion had him in its deadly vise and he was prepared to do whatever it required of him. He would tear down every building in this city. He would destroy every human in his way. He would _find_ Jessica.

Zim stalked out his front door, followed by GIR trotting at his heels. His disguise nowadays was not the itchy wig or burning contact lenses no, he preferred his Phantom-style black fedora and white mask. They did the job just as well, even if he did get many more odd stares. They simply feared him more, now. What a wonderful thing, being feared. What a wonderful thing it would be when his slave returned to him. What a wonderful thing it would be when he made that stinking Dib-monster suffer. Yes, Zim's mind was _still_ moving in the perpetual circle of blaming Dib for all his misfortunes. He was the cause of most of the Invader's problems, was he not? No, he was the cause of ALL of them. Logic was not a strength of Zim's at the moment as he stalked down the street, boots slamming furiously against the concrete, black cape swirling around his ankles, eyes burning with bloodlust behind the mask. He would visit the filthy, germy lair of that disgusting Dib-pig first. If Jessica was not there he would make Dib bring her to him. If Dib was not there there would be doom. So much doom


	10. Your Chains Are Still Mine

So, the fractal pattern just repeats smaller everytime?

Yes! It's a system of patterns that we've figured out how to trace mathematically. Of course it doesn't represent all of reality, but it's a good start! I've been working on an experiment to calculate if spiritual ectoplasm follows the same pattern or if its based on something completely different.. Dib set down the book he'd been looking through on the bed. I haven't been able to find a way to solidly measure it yet but I will, someday

Jessica gazed upwards thoughtfully as she leaned back against the pillow. She'd never heard of any of this stuff, anything they were discussing. Dib had had to go right back to the basics, not that he'd minded. He'd been so animated, explaining how the world was known to work and how he thought it worked outside of what had been proved. Jessica felt so giddy. It was exciting, she barely remembered anything like this, and even though it made her nervous, and unsure, she felt so lively! She grinned and bounced her feet on the bed like she was seven again. I bet you will, she told Dib. He grinned back at her warmly. As hypersensitive as she tended to be in rhythmic subtleties, she saw, or maybe felt, how he held himself almost subconsciously aligned to her. It was a nice feeling she couldn't remember ever being on such an unconscious par with someone.

I will, don't you worry, he continued, almost tripping over his words in his eagerness. You'll see the things I'll learn I feel like I'm _this_ close to discovering something big finding some giant truth that will show me how the universe works, and how I can do anything within it. Like stop Zim As soon as the last comment was out of his mouth, he faltered, uncertainty crossing his face. Jessica didn't have time to notice, though. Zim even just his name seemed to do strange things to her head!

Dib had gone deathly silent. He got up quickly and went to the window, gripping the sides of the pane with white-knuckled hands. he said after a moment. I think he's after you.

really Mystifaction laced her voice, and Dib stared at her for a long moment.

Don't worry!! He won't have you! A moment later he was half running, half stumbling out the door and down the stairs. Jessica, gazing after him, found herself unable to even move.

-- 

The door slammed open at a vicious kick from Zim's boot, and the Irken narrowed his eyes against the gust of air created by the sudden motion. The mildly familiar confines of the Dib's pathetic lair of filth did not even register in the alien's mind. Only the tall figure careening its way hurriedly down the stairs did.

Zim snarled, thrusting a gloved finger at his archnemisis, who screeched to a halt in front of the door. What have you DONE with my stink-slave!? Return her to Zim.. now or you will face a doom unlike any DOOM you have ever KNOWN! His outstretched hand clenched into a tight fist. How dare the filthy Dib even EXIST!? How dare he have grown and become even MORE disgusting and offensive to Zim's finely tuned senses? How dare he ruin Zim's plans!?

Shut up, Zim! Dib snapped in reply, his hands clenching into fists as well as he glared at the Irken. I don't know what kind of horrible MIND GAMES you've been playing on her, but I'm not going to let you hurt her anymore! You don't even deserve to live, much less spread your misery to everyone ELSE! You #@$^& bastard!!

Zim raised a non-existant eyebrow then started to chuckle.

That was all Dib needed. He snatched up the nearest object—a lamp, of course—and launched himself at the alien, bringing the appliance down violently towards Zim's head.

Zim twisted, and lanced out a protective cage of his mech-legs to reflect the blow. You stupid DIB weasel!! He knocked the lamp to the side, furious that Dib dared to defy him. Something coiled in his fist, a thin loop of gut, or wire, and he leapt away from Dib, over towards the other side of the room. Come and get me, stink-worm, he sneered. You will find that you are no match for.. the PHANTOM.

Dib's look of disgust only further riled the alien. You mean you're not OVER that stupid kick? It's been five YEARS, Zim!

TIME DOES NOT EAT AWAY AT EXCELLENCE!! Zim snapped. And _you_ have fallen into _obvious_ decay. Zim straightened, smirking superiorly. I saw your attempt at descending your pathetic primitive STAIRCASE. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! The alien cackled as if it were the most amusing thing on Earth, and his fist loosened subtly around the catgut in his hand, letting it slip between his fingers.

Angrily, Dib rushed him again. And Zim let the noose fly, sailing it over Dib's head—though it got caught over one ear—and yanking it tight. His cackling increased into wild, maniacal laughter as Dib yelped, then choked, then dropped the lamp to claw at the tightening strand of gut that choked off his breath and burned where it sliced into his ear. Red spots exploded at the corners of his vision, and, still scrabbling at the noose, Dib sank to his knees, the intense pain exploding like lights in front of his eyes before everything went black.

--

Zim watched the human fall, and was unable to control his fits of delighted giggling. Stepping immediately over to the filthy stink-pig, Zim loosened the noose and gathered it up. Certainly a very _handy_ weapon demoralizing and efficient, perfectly suited for one so amazing as the Phantom.

a voice giggled from the door. Zim started, then whirled to face his robot slave, who stood holding a long black case and a silly smile on its dog-like costume. The Irken stared for a moment, then glanced up past Dib's still form, towards the stairs.

he said, voice low and sinister. His delight at defeating the Dib fled completely, and he stalked over to GIR, snatching the case from it.

Where's my moose? whined the little robot.

At home, Zim snapped, pulling off his fedora to brush a hand across his antennae.

GIR squealed, and skipped out the door. Zim watched it go, and replaced the hat. He glanced back down at the Dib, and then again up at the stairs. She must be up there. The Dib would not have _barreled_ down so defensively if she weren't the Irken growled under his breath. Interfere with ZIM, would he? Well he never would again. Holding the case, Zim stalked past the figure on the floor, landing a sharp kick in Dib's stomach on his way towards the stairs.

He paused at their foot, then quietly started up them, his black cape fluttering menancingly behind him.

-- 

She knew he was here. She had heard them downstairs but fear kept her rooted to the spot, frozen, unable to move they would be hurt! Maybe even killed and there was nothing she could do, to keep the vengeful alien from killing Dib, or to keep Dib from killing Zim. She would just have to hope that but no one would probably die. And she knew, with a sickening fist of fear in the pit of her stomach, which one it would be.

She heard steps in the hallway outside. Not Dib's clumsy gait. He was coming. Zim was coming for her. Jessica knew she should feel happy; she always had before but not now. It was too frightening.. all of it. She couldn't even bring herself to feel flattered that she was so important to the Irken. She just wished he'd leave, leave her alone, stop hurting people, stop frightening her like this why did he always frighten her? He was evil! Wasn't he? The muted staccato of his boots paused outside the door.

Already she felt her mind clouding over. He was like a storm, roiling and thundering, yanking all her thought and will from everything else the moment he walked in. There was nothing anyone else could see, she knew. A short green alien wrapped ridiculously in a black cape, that's what he'd said about Zim. But that wasn't what she saw or rather, that image was only a window or perhaps a mirror.. to what she saw inside. Her mind and body responded immediately to his presence, the conditioning of her mind awakening in anticipation to its relationship with his music. What was that he held in one gloved hand? A violin? She couldn't really tell.

She struggled to form words, to ask where Dib was, to ask if he was alright, to make sure Zim hadn't hurt him... but all of it was swept away as the alien before her lifted his instrument to his shoulder and began attacking its strings with the bow. The sounds that reverberated through the violin and then through the air to reach her mind made her cry out. She writhed. It tore at her mind, like GIR's banging on the piano had. She screamed and pleaded, or maybe only her mind did. She thought she heard him yelling.

You run!? You defy ZIM!? YOU DEFY HE WHO GAVE YOU MUUUSIIIC!? You will pay for your mistake, insolent WORM! Come back to me!! YOU ARE MINE!! The music ravaged her mind and tore through her body, and then just as quickly, it caught the tatters of her consciousness and caressed them, mending them back into softness and peace. The pain stopped, and when she opened her eyes she saw nothing but Zim, standing in the doorway with a terrible grin. He seemed to be cradling the violin in his arms as he played it, rocking back and forth with the pulse of the music, as its sweet tones called to her mind. She became the music; she _was_ the music, in almost every sense. She _was_ the instrument that he drew the notes from so lovingly, she felt his touch on her mind and on her body, and most importantly, within the sound. She saw the burning intensity in his crimson eyes and it called to her in ways she was sure it had never used before. Something new tinged his playing, something she could not resist. Numbly she slid off the bed and crawled towards him.

--

Zim said, watching her advance. Yes! Come to me The frantic agitation which had so uncharacteristically seized hold of him faded the nearer she came. He was in control again. She was his again. She knelt in front of him now, her eyes holding that particular glazed look as she gazed at him. He thought he saw something within her, trying to fight its way out. He bore down on his music, alternately yanking and coaxing its tones from the violin. She would not defy him! Of course not. Zim smiled. He had won. And strangely enough, it was not a victory accompanied by delight and pride just a strange kind of relaxtion. Relief, almost. Relief? Zim had not doubted that he would win!! Had he? The Irken pushed the thought from his mind. It wasn't important now.

He turned his attention back to Jessica. She was reaching for him, her body leaning towards him, like she wanted to do what GIR did with those infernal hugs! Zim quickly slid back out of her reach. Oh no, it didn't _matter_ how much he needed her for his experiements, or how closely connected she was to his music, he would _not_ be touched by a by a filthy rotten stink-human! The very thought made him shudder. The music touched her, and that was enough! That was all the touching _this_ human needed. This was _his_ human! She did not need to touch! The way she leaned towards him and reached for him, she seemed to think differently. Well, he would break her of that. He slashed the bow across the violin strings in a violent, very unharmious chord. Jessica immediately cringed away, an agonized moan escaping from her lips.

Do not touch ZIM, Zim admonished her, and then resumed playing sweetly, working the melody to activate all the connection and pleasure centers of her brain, tying her up irrevocably with the music. She was his! And she would obey him. Grinning with satisfaction, Zim stalked into the hallway, leading her with the pull of the music. It was time to get out of this stinking haunt of the Dib, and return to his _amazing_ base!


	11. True Loyalty

Jessica noticed nothing as he led her out of Dib's house, nor when he led her down the street, and across the cul-de-sac to his own green-glowing abode. She didn't noticed GIR's delighted, high-pitched welcomes, or Zim's admonitions for the robot to make silence. When she finally did take notice of her surroundings, she found herself lying on her back on a kind of table, staring up at purplish cables and rows of lights and interconnecting mechanics. She squinted her eyes against them and lifted her head, sitting up slowly.

Zim wasn't around. The edges of the room were shrouded in darkness, the only lights being the several cast on the table she'd been laying on. She rubbed her arms through the close-fitting material that covered them, and shivered. She began to vaguely remember her fear and then more strongly. What had happened to Dib? He'd only been trying to protect her. She couldn't bear to think what might've happened to him, when Zim—

the voice pierced through the silence, and Jessica looked up, startled. There he was! Sweeping down from a platform towards her, lifting up on those long mechanical legs as he approached her table. She felt her expectation growing, mingling with her fear. The music it was silent now, but she could feel it calling to her

Lie down, the Irken said, pausing just at the edge of the shadows next to the table. Don't worry yourself. I have everything under control. Lie down.

Without thinking, Jessica found herself obeying, and she lay back against the table.

Close your eyes, came the next command. She closed her eyes, and heard the clicking of mechs, felt the alien's presence next to her. Her mind automatically opened up, awaiting the strands of music that surely were to come. And come they did. The alien's voice, lilting and sweet to her ears, washed over her in a soothing melody, and, at its coaxing, she found herself drifting far away from the room with the table and her body, and into blissful darkness.

-- 

Zim stood there, on his mechs, for a long moment after the readouts on the human's brain told him she was completely unconscious. He could convince her mind to do anything. Anything that he wanted. And yet, she had left; she had allowed herself to be kidnapped taken away.. by that slimy _Dib_. Disgusting humans! Did they hold as much loyalty to their race as Irkens did? They certainly didn't _seem_ to. But then why WHY!? Had she gone with the DIB!? It made no sense! Zim had made absolutely sure that he took care of all her needs, made her absolutely loyal to him there was something he was missing. Something important, and he was at a loss to figure out what it was. True, he'd kept her under almost constant hypnosis for five years, and had little idea how, exactly, she would act when _not_ under his control. But the very thought of releasing her from that control sent a spike of fear and uncertainty through him. He would _never_ do such a thing! The idea of letting her out of his carefully controlled world made him shudder.

As he stood there, watching her, he found his mind wandering. It was not often that he spent any time in idleness like this, and the thoughts that awakened in his mind were altogether surprising, despite being mixed with his brain's constant reminders that he should be working. But he was working. Of course he was! He had to figure out SOME way to make the human stink-girl irrevocably loyal to him he needed to come up with a plan, not just daydream about the result of such an amazing plan! Of course, daydreaming had its place he sighed almost inaudibly. Daydreaming about conquering Earth. Daydreaming about crushing the humans under his iron fist. Daydreaming about being the tallest Soldier back in the Academy and pushing everyone _else_ around. Daydreaming about his intensely loyal human ally at his side and never even CONSIDERING the possibility of leaving. Zim's gloved hand clenched into a fist. If only she weren't _human_ humans were so disgustingly inferior! The Dib was human! No ally of his should be human! Ally?

Zim stepped away from the table thoughtfully. What if he _did_ have an ally, instead of a human experiment. GIR, of course, was always around despite its misbehavior, Zim felt proud that such an advanced model belonged to him, gave him something to call his own. But no one would ever be completely loyal to an Irken.. unless it were _made_ by an Irken, connected to the system of the control-brains, and otherwise monitored! He would have to find a way to link Jessica into that system! Then there would be no way, no way at all, that she could betray him. She would be his forever! She would destroy Dib all on her own will! And the weak, foolish Dib-creature would be so hurt and betrayed! He would not even resist.

Snickering, Zim marched out of the room with glee. He had work to do a lot of work.

-- 

Examining the remote mechanism through which the control brains accessed Irken minds had never been something Zim had even considered. He'd never had a reason to, before. But then, it was certainly _not_ the place of any Irken to tinker with and install such things. Alien life forms were not admitted into the Irken system for one simple reason—they were inferior. The loyalty control might not work so well on a different physiology. There would be no chance of upsetting the perfect culture of unified Irk. Non-Irkens were inferior, fit only to be enslaved or destroyed. Definitely not assimilated. Although, alien slaves and prisoners, in Zim's experience, were _very_ useful. They _could_ refute loyalty to the Irken empire, unlike Irkens themselves, and so be very handy for getting what one wanted. But the very thought of anyone using Jessica like that made Zim darken with rage.

Despite the unprecedented anger, he could not identify any actual _reason_ why he wanted to do this, why it felt so important that he do this. He had the girl enslaved, did he not? And it _certainly_ wasn't a question of doubt as to whether or not he could _keep_ her enslaved. But for some reason, he didn't feel like it was enough. How much better would things be if she _were_ Irken? That, of course, was impossible, but Zim's mind was already sorting out ideas overtime, planning things out, and mapping and discarding possibilities. The control-brain system that kept Irkens loyal to the Empire had been an ingenius invention, and that was, more or less, all it did. It's focus was the military surely if Jessica were not logged as militant or Soldier, it would not be a problem. He would make her loyal! And not by force or hypnosis, this time. He would make her _want_ to be loyal he would _ensure_ that she stayed loyal. No, she could not be Irken. Not yet, at any rate. The wheels in his head were turning rapid-fire, even searching for a possibility around _that_. Not Irken, but as close as any inferior life form had ever _come_.

-- 

Jessica did not awaken for several more hours, but when she did, she felt curiously empty, curiously dull. Of course, her stomach was empty, but it had been for years. She had the vague sense that her nourishment had always come from some other source. Maybe the music? Could music nourish like that? Part of her, suspended in awe, wanted to believe it, but the sensible part, the part that had so responded to Dib's explanations of how the universe worked that part told her no, no, that could never happen. She knew her body was kept nourished in some way, probably while she slept, because she found that she couldn't remember having eaten anything not in years

Still, the emptiness felt forboding, and Jessica sat up slowly, her eyes lowered. She expected Zim to be there any moment, there with his voice, his violin, his organ, his burning red eyes. There with his music. There for her. A soft sigh escaped her. Mind-control as Dib's voice said in her mind who knew how many drugs that alien had her on? Besides the music. The music how she loved the music. How she loved him. How little did he know or care

--

a soft voice pierced the darkness, and she immediately sat up to attention. A pair of red eyes glowed in the darkness, and a moment letter, accompanied by the clacking of mechs, Zim's small caped figure came closer, looming over her. He did not sing and he carried no instrument, which confused her for a moment. Indeed his demeanor seemed to illustrate him wanting to sit down with a cup of tea and have a nice talk. She giggled.

he snapped, and she immediately obeyed. His mechs lifted him to the edge of the table and he stood there, withdrawing them. He folded his arms over his chest, eyeing her calculatingly. After a moment, he spoke. It is time he said quietly. That I enforced your loyalty to me.

A spike of fear cut through Jessica and she tried to keep her eyes from widening. What do you mean she asked, amazed and fearful at the same time that he now spoke to her clearly without fogging her mind first.

I mean, he said, his voice getting even softer, that you will no longer desire to betray me to the Dib. You are mine. Do not forget this! Do you wish to betray me _me_ who has given you music? Given you everything? Made you real Tipping his head slightly, Zim stretched out a hand to his side, not towards her, but as if to encompass her and the base.

she whispered, tears springing to her eyes at the strange tenderness in his voice. She wanted to say more, there was so much more she wanted to say to him. She wanted to take his hand as she had taken Dib's, she wanted to connect with him, she wanted to touch him, look into his eyes, never be away from him or his music. Her mouth moved but no words came out as hot tears ran down her face. Why did he do nothing? I love you, she choked out. I'll always

he said, his voice a little sharper than it had been, but she could not otherwise see any reaction from him towards the baring of her heart. Without the familiar glorious fog of his music it hurt it hurt, it squeezed and choked deep in her chest, blinded her. She sobbed, sniffled, the tears flowing freely as she tried desperately to control them and wipe them away. Zim merely gazed at her, nothing registering on his face, not even disgust, like she would've expected. She was a mess a filthy mess, like he had so often told her.

He got back up on his mechs, gazing down at her. Lie down, he commanded her again. Lie down. Everything will be fine. She wanted to believe him, so badly hiccupping and sniffling, she did as she was told. Zim leaned over her, crimson eyes boring into hers. She stared back, her gaze blurred with tears. He was leaning closely, as if trying to read her thoughts, or feelings. His closeness awakened something in her, especially without the fogginess of the music. Surely he did not mean but she found herself reaching for him, she touched his hands, his arms, his shoulders, his face, his antennae, and for a moment, he didn't move. But it was only a moment, and then he had jerked away, touching her temples with something cold, and her eyes fluttered closed. She knew no more.


End file.
